Bleach at Youkai Academy!
by Romez
Summary: Ichigo is sent on a mission to a certain place where Hollows seem to go to, but never come out. That and his old school was destroyed during the war and he still needs to finish his education. Pairings Undecided. Story sticks with the Manga for the most
1. Bicycle

**There is no Bleach/Rosario Vampire Fanfic so I decided to make one.**

**Oh and hi to all those who are wondering (probably not) if I died. I'm not, just halfways.**

**If it sucks, you can take my idea and run with it… I'm just doing this while I actually have free time. Make sure to give me credit though if you decide to adopt this story.**

**Rated T for:**

**Mild Language**

**Mild Violence**

**Mild Innuendos**

**Mild Bad Grammer**

**Mild Misspellings**

**Mild Ranch Sauce**

**Mild Everything Basically**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Kurosaki Ichigo, a person who has fought countless Hollows in his lifetime and defeated Aizen was on a mission to check out a school.

But this school was 'special' or so they had told him. The Science Division had noticed an influx of Hollows in this particular area… but none ever seemed to come back out. Most of all, there were never any souls that needed konso which baffled the minds back at the institute. They would've sent someone earlier… but there just weren't enough people to send out, especially with all the reconstruction efforts going about.

The only good thing was that he didn't need to use a gigai which would save the trouble of having to transform in case a situation arose. Not only that, it seemed everyone inside the school was spiritually aware so they would seem him regardless. The only thing that he didn't like was the fact that they made a 'backpack' for Zangetusu so he wouldn't look _too_ conspicuous.

Ichigo made a sharp noise of frustration, but then sighed. His old school had been completely destroyed so he supposed this wouldn't be so bad. Other then checking up on Hollows here and there, he would be going to school like a regular person.

Or so he thought.

"So you're the new student enrolling at Youkai Academy?" The bus driver with eerily glowing eyes said.

Ichigo merely gave the man half his attention as he opted to stare out the window. "That's the reason I'm here."

"In that case you better prepare yourself." This caught Ichigo's attention as he turned to look at the driver who was looking at him... despite the fact that he should be keeping his eyes on the road. "Youkai Academy is a veeeerrrryyy horrifying school!"

Ichigo merely gave the man a blank stare as his left eyebrow began to twitch in annoyance. _'What the hell have I gotten myself into?'_

XXXxxxXXX

Ichigo was… annoyingly surprised at the scene in front of him. It looked like it came out of some horror movie that had been crudely made. Despite the fact that it was a little sunny where he was standing, over where the school was lightning flashed in arcs, surrounding the school. Not to mention that a few steps further along the road there was a scarecrow with a pumpkin for a head.

But upon closer inspection, he noticed the sign beneath the head. It read 'Youkai Private Academy.' As he read the sign, his ears caught the sound of something coming closer.

"COMING THROUGH!" Ichigo's head whipped around just in time just to see the thing that was about to crash into him. Despite the fact that after many battles he had attained amazing reflexes, he had completely failed to dodge a bicycle.

"Ow…" Ichigo muttered as he brought his hand to rub his head. But then he noticed he was already touching something else, something rather soft. Opening his eyes, he noticed what the soft thing was and blushed. He was touching the inner thigh of the girl that had just crashed into him. So silky smooth was her thigh that he had failed to let go of it and had almost missed her words. "I'm sorry… I got dizzy from my anemia… are you ok?"

Forcibly taking his eyes off her thigh, he looked up and saw the girl's face. Soft features graced her face and her lips seemed so small and kissable. Not only was she amazingly beautiful, but add the fact that Ichigo had just touched her leg made his reaction perfectly acceptable. A small stream of blood leaked out his nose as he tried desperately to hold it in with his hands. He never was good with the wimmenz.

"Oh…" The girl in front of Ichigo let out a soft moan. "The scent of… blood. I… I… can't…"

She collapse onto Ichigo's lap and he grabbed her arms to hold her steady. Despite the fact that he was blushing, he couldn't help but sigh in annoyance. He hadn't even started day 1 and already something was going wrong. Suddenly, he felt something soft tilt his head downwards until he was face to face with the green eyed beauty in front of him.

"I… I'm sorry but…" She leaned in closer, making Ichigo's heart race. "It's just cuz…" Suddenly, she tilted his head to the right, exposing his neck. "I'm a Vampire." And before Ichigo knew it, he felt a stabbing pain in his neck following by the sensation of having your blood taken out by a rather large needle.

She was startled out of her meal when Ichigo suddenly bolted up in panic. "Y…You bit me!" He yelled as he pointed an accusing finger at her. "What the hell!"

She gave a slight bow as she replied, "I'm sorry, I'm Akashiya Moka. Although I look like this, I'm a Vampire."

Ichigo could only blink as he muttered one word. "Eh?"

Suddenly the girl smiled and her cheeks became tinted. With delight shining from her features, she said. "Thank you so much for the treat! Your blood was so yummy!"

"EH?"

Noticing the lack of proper response, she realized that Ichigo seemed none too pleased for having his blood taken out. She spoke up in a rather distressed tone, "Do you hate me know? Because I'm a Vampire?"

Ichigo looked at the girl in front of him and simply gave a sigh of resignation. No real harm done right? The only thing that bothered him was that she said she was a vampire… did that mean the Bountou were still alive?

"Hey, Moka. You don't happen to be a Bountou too would you?" Ichigo asked. Her reply was simply a look of confusion and a shake of her head.

"Never mind." He noticed the look she was giving him and remembered her earlier question. "Oh man… well, I guess I don't hate vampires…"

"Really?" Moka asked excitedly.

Ichigo shrugged. "Sure—ack!" Ichigo staggered backwards as Moka hugged him with all her strength… which was considerable since she _was_ a vampire.

She spoke up after she released Ichigo from the hug. "So does that mean you'll be my friend?" She asked cutely.

Ichigo averted his eyes slightly as he replied, "S-Sure…"

Moka smiled genuinely as she went over to pick up her bike. "Well, we better get going." She said as they made their way to the school.

Suddenly, something clicked inside Ichigo's mind. "Oh, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo by the way."

She gave him another wonderful smile as she replied, "I'm very pleased to meet you. When the entrance ceremony is over, talk to me some more ok?"

XXXxxxXXX

Looking around, Ichigo noticed an empty seat close to the window. He figured that would be a good spot in case he needed to leave in a hurry. So he took his seat and waited for class to start. In a way, it actually felt nice to be going back to school. He wasn't sure what that 'vampire' thing with that girl was, but he figured it wasn't the strangest thing that's happened to him.

Soon the class filled up with eager students and they all took a seat. Some next to friends, others who were completely new simply took a seat and were silent, but were soon conversing with those around them.

A lady with brown hair and two tufts on her head that looked vaguely like ears walked into the class. Her eyes were closed, but there seemed to be an ever-present smile on her face. Soon, she spoke up, "Hello everyone and welcome to Youkai Academy!" She began cheerfully, "I am your homeroom teacher Nekonome Shizuka!"

"I think you all already know this but… this is a school built for monsters to attend!" The teacher continued on with her rant, but Ichigo was too busy replaying a word over and over in his head. _'Monsters?'_ He asked himself. Then a picture of Moka came into his mind. If she was a vampire… then what she said about being a vampire was true? Moka was, to Ichigo's realization, a real freakin vampire!

His thoughts were interrupted when another student spoke up. "Hey teacher… Wouldn't it be better to eat up those puny humans? And in the case of the beautiful girls, better to _molest_ them?"

Suddenly, a mental image of the bus driver came into his mind. And just like that it all made sense. If Hollows and Soul Reapers and Spirits existed… why not monsters? Ichigo felt like palm-facing himself, but he would refrain himself for doing that.

He looked up when the teacher began talking again. "Oh! Incidentally, here at Youkai Academy the teachers and students are all monsters. There are no genuine humans here! Since this academy is within a secret sacred world to those humans who come to know of our existence, we will bring them DEATH or something…"

Ichigo really wasn't too worried… though he wondered what he was. Technically he was human… a human who had the ability to move his soul out of his own body and wield incredible power. He wasn't really shinigami either. Even after saving Soul Society he was still regarded as the substitute shinigami. That still irked him a little but there was nothing he could do about it… not now anyways.

"Sorry I'm late! After the Entrance Ceremony I kinda got lost in the school…" Ichigo turned his head, recognizing that voice.

"Oh, that's fine, just take a seat!" Nekonome replied.

A guy from behind Ichigo's right side stood up and began yelling, "Oh! She's so hot! I'm so happy to have such a hottie in this classroom! I want her!" and soon the other guys began yelling and hollering at Moka.

"Oh, it's Moka." Ichigo said to himself.

Hearing her name, Moka turned her head and blinked. "Oh… it's Ichigo." Then her eyes lit up with joy. "IT'S ICHIGOOO!" She squealed before hugging him despite the fact that he was still in his seat.

"Whoa!" Ichigo yelled as he was lifted from his seat by an ecstatic Moka. However, not everyone in the room shared her enthusiasm. All the boys in the class growled and yelled in anger and jealousy because they weren't being hugged by the beautiful girl. Ichigo sighed, a slight reddish tint on his cheeks as he tried to hug her back as best he could.

Ichigo failed to notice the figure that was eyeing them with a predatory look on his face. The figure licked his lips, already savoring his meal.

XXXxxxXXX

"Hey, Hey! Isn't this a cool hallway?" Moka said, never letting go of Ichigo's arm. After class, Moka had forcefully dragged Ichigo away. Ichigo really didn't have a problem with it, but he had figured he would use his free time to patrol the school. Oh well.

"S-sure I guess." Ichigo was trying to stop from focusing on the fact that her chest was pressed against his arm. Ichigo almost got into a fighting stance when he felt a small wave of spiritual pressure hit him, but it was only the jealousy from all the boys aimed at him. He relaxed himself again and let himself be dragged Moka until they were forced to stop by a classmate.

"Heh, such a pretty one." The figure eyed Moka with a certain glance that made Ichigo uncomfortable. "You are called Akashiya Moka are you not? I am your classmate Komiya Saizou! Salutations!"

Suddenly, Ichigo was pulled up roughly by the tie as Saizou continued speaking, "By the way, why is a beautiful lady like yourself associating with a guy like this?"

'_Weak? Let me use Bankai and I'll show you who's weak!' _Ichigo was about to reach for Zangetsu when he realized that he had left Zangetsu in his room. However, that didn't mean he couldn't give this guy a good butt-kicking! This guy most likely wasn't even worthy of his Bankai.

But before he finished deciding on a plan, he was dropped to the floor as Saizou stepped closer to Moka. With a pretentious look on his face, he jerked a thumb, pointing at himself before saying, "Wouldn't someone like me be far superior to that sort of scummy guy?" He licked his lips before continuing, "Why don't we go off somewhere just the two of us and have some fun?"

He leaned in close to her face and leered at her. "Well? Why don't we go out for a bit?" Saizou asked, his patience running thin.

Now getting mad, Ichigo was about to kick Saizou's ass when he was hauled off by Moka. "I'm sorry! I'm having fun with Ichigo now!"

As he was dragged by Moka, he looked back to see the man grinning. He saw his mouth move, but was too far away to hear his words.

"Humpf, just watch me. I never allow a nice woman like you to escape!"

Moka turned and hid beneath a stairway along with Ichigo. "That was surprising wasn't it? I was a little scared. Are you okay Ichigo?" Moka asked as she panted lightly.

"Yea, I'm fine." Ichigo said in a nonchalant way. He was busy thinking about that Saizou character. For a regular being, he had a high spiritual pressure. But now that he thought of it, this entire area seemed to be flooded with high-density particles.

But he would save that thought process until he got back to his room. In the meantime, there was a girl waiting for him. "So, why exactly did you decide to take me along with you? I could've fought him you know."

"W-Well… I didn't know what kind of monster he was. He could've been really strong and besides…" Suddenly, a blush spread across her face as her hands reached for her cheeks.

'_Besides?'_ thought Ichigo.

"We're on blood-sucking terms now!" She said as she wiggled her body in delight.

Ichigo could only sweat-drop as his eye twitched slightly. "What am I… food?"

Moka simply giggled as she replied, "Don't be silly, you should be proud of yourself! Your blood is way better than any of the blood I've drank before from transfusion packs! And…"

Before Ichigo's annoyance hit the roof, he noticed that Moka had abruptly gone quiet. "And…?" Ichigo beckoned her to continue.

"You're the first person I have ever fed from Ichigo. You're my first time and… I'll never forget the feeling!"

Ichigo blinked as he stared her with a rather expressionless look on his face. He hadn't quite expected to take a girl's first time in _that_ particular way. He blinked again saw her lowered head tint a pink, rosy color. "Moka…"

WHAM!

"Oh! I'm so embarrassed!" Moka said after having pushed Ichigo into the wall after becoming 'embarrassed.'

Then she quickly turned around and headed out the door. "Let's have some fun, let's check out the academy!" She chirped.

All the while, Ichigo was suddenly realizing that if all monsters had this kind of power, then they must be spiritually dense beings, which would also explain why Saizou picked him up so easily. He grunted slightly as he pulled himself out of the wall. After having performed said task, he quickly went to catch up with Moka, not even being injured in the slightest. After all, he's already had his fair share of wall smashings in the past; this was nothing he couldn't handle!

XXXxxxXXX

_This_, however, was something he couldn't handle. Moka never once had let go of him and he had been dragged around the entire school. He didn't mind spending time with Moka, be he figured he should at least do 1 or 2 rounds before the day is over.

Finally, they stopped in front of an old, run down-building. The floor was littered with graves and tombstones, dead leaves, and anything else that could make the place drearier. It was like a scene taken from a horror movie. "Look Ichigo, this is the dorm we'll be living in!"

Ichigo let out a noise of uncertainty, a mixture between a sigh and a grunt. However, Moka seemed to have the opposite reaction as she gushed on about the building. "So cool! Such a building, full of dignity and character!"

Ichigo turned to look at her and said, "Are you serious?"

She simply nodded before she replied, "Oh, you don't like it Ichigo? Even though you're a monster?" Suddenly, she paused as a though she realized something. "Oh, speaking of which, what kind of monster are you Ichigo?"

That caused Ichigo some slight panic as he racked his mind to come up with an excuse. But it seemed Moka answered her own question as she spoke up, "Oh… letting your true form is against the school rules isn't it! Sorry, I didn't mean to ask you that question!"

Ichigo gave a short laugh which ended in a sigh. Thankfully that was one problem he wouldn't have to face soon. But, speaking of monsters. "Hey Moka, you said you're a vampire, but you're unlike any vampire I've ever heard of? How come?"

"Well, I may look like a regular human but… y'see if I take this rosary on my chest off, I become the real thing, an evil and scaaaaary vampire!"

Ichigo's eye twitched slightly at that. But he supposed there was no helping it, especially when Moka went on a rant on how the rosary thing worked. With all the things that have happened as of late he wouldn't be surprised if the moon really _was_ made out of cheese. Suddenly, he noticed she was taking steps closer to him. Reflexively he took one step back, but by that time she was already on top of him… figuratively that is.

"But even if our power is sealed, we do still end up craving blood." She said with a slight blush of her cheeks.

Ichigo had a feeling he knew where this was going and tried to stop it. "Wait! Mo—aahh!"

*Chuu!*

XXXXxxxXXX

After having spent most of the day with Moka, he finally had time to himself. It wasn't nighttime yet so there was no real rush to do any patrolling so he leisurely walked back to his dorm.

"Wait up loverboy." A sinister voice spoke from behind Ichigo. He turned to find Saizou dash at him and snag him up by the tie… again. He gave a small grunt when he was slammed against the wall, making a crater in it.

"It looks like you had a lot of fun with Akashiya Moka yesterday and you're going to pay for it today! Your true form, what is your true form!" Saizou demanded with scorn laced in his words.

Now, Ichigo was not worried… he did, however, not want to draw any attention to himself because technically he was still on a mission. So he said the first thing that came to his mind. "A vampire?"

Ichigo noticed Saizou's eyes widen in anger and saw his shoulder muscles in his other arm tense. That meant he was going to swing at Ichigo, who knew this already. With well timed precision, he dodged the powerful punch.

Already they were surrounded by a small crowd, most of which were astounded by Saizou's display of physical strength. "Vampire you say? Vampires are immortal atrocious western monsters!" he said as his arm tore through his sleeve, revealing bulky muscle and a deformed, oversized hand that loomed over Ichigo's head. "It's even said they're the best of all the monsters at using their supernatural powers."

At this point, Ichigo noticed that Saizou's eyes seemed to glow with a venomous fury. Saizou's normally well kempt hair was now frazzled and seemed to be swaying wildly as Ichigo sensed a sudden rise in Saizou's reiatsu.

"Are you such a vampire! Don't lie to me…" Saizou said as he raised his hand and…

… tore the wall next to Ichigo asunder. "Anyway, don't go near Moka again! If you even talk to her again you're dead boy!" Saizou warned before walking away.

Ichigo simply shook his head. If this was a daily occurrence, then this was going to be a long three years. Seeing the sun begin to set, Ichigo set off to do a couple of patrol rounds, then eat and head to bed.

XXXxxxXXX

Ichigo yawned rather loudly, earning a couple of stares from passer bys. He simply gave them his patented scowl, which seemed to work since they went on their merry way to wherever the hell they were going…

Oh right, school.

"Oh? Ichigo?" Ichigo's ears perked and he turned to see an excited Moka running towards him. Somehow, she still managed to hug-tackle him from behind, despite the fact that he was carrying Zangetsu in his 'backpack'

"Mornin!" She began rather excitedly. "If we don't hurry we're going to be tardy!"

Suddenly, he felt himself being jostled around by a curious Moka. "What are you carrying Ichigo?"

"An over-sized butcher's knife." Ichigo smirked at his own little joke, but Moka seemed to be clueless. He sighed as he explained it was his sword and left it at that.

"So you're going to join the kendo club?" Moka asked as she walked backwards in front of Ichigo.

"Um… sure. Don't you think you should watch out where you're going?" Ichigo asked.

Moka simply shook her head. "Nope! I trust you enough to tell me if I'm going to hit anything."

Ichigo sweat dropped at that. "What if it's a root that I can't see and you trip over that?"

Moka's smile widened as she replied, "Well then hopefully you'll catch me!"

Ichigo groaned. Whether monster or human, all girls were the same.

XXXxxxXXX

Ichigo was… annoyed to say the least. Throughout the entire class he felt Saizou's eyes on him. Even Grimmjow never stared at him _that_ strongly. Maybe this Saizou character might've been Grimmjow's illegitimate kid. Ichigo had to stifle a laugh at that. Grimmjow having a kid? Who'd be the poor and unfortunate lady?

Moka noticed this and with a smile, asked, "What's so funny Ichigo."

Ichigo merely waved his hand. "Oh it's nothing." He replied, a slight grin on his face.

Moka shrugged and focused back on the class lesson.

XXXxxxXXX

When the class ended, Saizou walked up his desk and leaned against it menacingly. His figure loomed over Ichigo like a tower. "Are you ready to **DIE** Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo chuckled. "You have no idea how many times I already have."

Confused but undeterred by Ichigo's remark, Saizou hauled him off by the tie once again. Behind them was a nervous and anxious Moka frantically trying to persuade Saizou to let Ichigo go. Ichigo was unfazed by any of this. He simply waited until he felt himself hauled into the air and thrown a distance. He flipped himself in the air and landed gracefully on his feet.

Saizou snorted. "Fancy."

"I try." Ichigo replied back as he got into a battle stance. He didn't think he'd be needing Zangetsu for this fight.

"Ichigo! Please be careful!" Yelled a frantic Moka. She didn't want her first and only friend since she arrived to be beaten to a bloody pulp… or worse, killed. What would she do if that happened?

"Relax Moka, this guy doesn't look so tough." As soon as he said that a surge of reiatsu swept by his feet.

"I'm going to enjoy ripping you apart Kuroaski Ichigo!" Saizou said as his body became bulkier and bigger. His muscles ripped apart the shirt with ease and soon veins throbbed and pulsed all around his arms, neck, and face. His bones were disgustingly configured in a way that made them look like spikes running along his spine and his hands were roughly the size of Ichigo. Saizou was HUGE.

"**I believe I warned you never to come near Moka again…" **Saizou suddenly lunged at Ichigo with a speed he did not predict after the transformation. With a grunt, he was thrown across the rocky terrain, flipping over and over until he smashed into a boulder.

Saizou's long tongue jutted our, twitching with a mind of its own as he let out a frenzied yell. **"HAHAHAHA! What's wrong wannabe vampre? Did you not think a rogue monster like myself would not challenge a so-called vampire? YOU'RE TOO WEAK SCUM!"**

Moka ran frantically to Ichigo's position only to see him get up. "Hey, that stung a little."

Suddenly, Moka stood still as a wave of indescribably energy surrounded her. It seemed to warp the very air around her, making it feel as if there was a weight on her shoulders… no… her entire being.

Saizou whirled around, his eyes flashing with anger as he noticed Ichigo rise up unscathed. He let out a guttural roar and lunged for Ichigo once again. Ichigo simply stood there and waited till Saizou was upon him. As Saizou's claw reached his face, Ichigo Shuunpo'd out of sight. Saizou turned left and right, scanning the area for any signs of Ichigo.

Little did he know that Ichigo had taken flight and was right above him. Throwing his backpack over his shoulders, he twirled the body length green backpack that housed Zangetsu and sent it hurling to the back of Saizou's neck. The next the Saizou felt was a sharp pain and then it was lights out.

Ichigo landed softly on the ground, the dust kicking up only slightly around his feet. He looked up at the astonished form of Moka, who was giving him the strangest stare. "What?"

"That was amazing!" Moka yelled as she ran up to him and tackled him. Ichigo thankfully caught her in time or else they would've fallen. She was still, despite her petite size, very strong.

Ichigo let out a puff of air as he hugged her back. "Yea… don't you think we should get to class? We're already late."

Backing up a bit, but not releasing the hug, she replied. "Yea… but just one thing."

"Hm?"

"I forgot to eat breakfast and… well…"

Ichigo's eyes widened when he realized that he couldn't escape her grasp. He knew what was coming next. "Oh craa—AAAAP!"

*Chuu!*

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Until Next Time Folks!**


	2. Succubus

**Well… 2****nd**** Chapter I suppose.**

**Oh, forgot to put the Disclaimer thing: I don't own Bleach or Rosario Vampire**

**To answer someone's question: Yes, he's always in his soul form since everyone is spiritually sensitive at the academy… I think I wrote that in the second paragraph in the last chapter.**

**Oh, I have the only Bleach/Rosario Vampire crossover fic on this site… come on people! More people need to make stories with bleach and RV! Think of the potential!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Ichigo gave a loud yawn as he walked to class with dreary eyes. Maybe he should've eased off on the patrols. That way he wouldn't always be scrambling to finish his breakfast and get ready for school.

Ichigo looked up and noticed a rather large crowd forming. He walked closer until he could hear words instead of just noise. "Oh hey look, it's Moka-san!" A student said excitedly, "ooohh… she looks just as stunning as ever! It's like she's surrounded by light!"

Ichigo blinked. Was this guy serious? Sure Moka was beautiful, he admitted with a blush, but seriously, that was a little too much! The boys rarely gave her any room to breathe. They always stalked her, following her around like some sort of goddess. It was ridiculous!

"SHE'S SO DAZZLING!" Yelled an overexcited student.

"AKASHIYA MOKA! SHE'S OBVIOUSLY THE ACADEMY'S #1 BEAUTY!" Yelled another. The others were too entranced by Moka to be paying attention to anything else. Some were even drooling.

Ichigo grimaced; this was such a pathetic sight. It almost made him want to puke. But as he looked up, his eyes connected with Moka's. He blinked. Unsure of what to do, he raised his hand in greeting and said, "Yo Moka."

"Oh," He heard her say right before his arm was taken possessively by an excited Moka. "Morning Ichigo!" She chirped happily.

Ichigo grunted, despite the fact that his arm was pressing against a rather soft area, her strength slightly hurt him. Was this the strength of a vampire? Even in a weakened form? Suddenly, Ichigo sensed an enormous wave of reiatsu hit him. Looking around, he noticed that every single of the male students were glaring at him.

"_Tch. Just great, I'm already the number one target at this school." _Ichigo thought mordantly. But then something clicked inside of his mind, which caused a small grin to form on his face. _"Well, if they do attack me at least I'll get some good exercise."_

Suddenly, Ichigo noticed they had taken a slight detour. Instead of heading towards the main doors, they had gone around. He was about to ask where they were when Moka asked him to take a seat on the steps of a side door.

As he sat down, he noticed that it was quiet and far away from the noise of the rowdy crowd. It was scenic, almost, with shrubs and trees lined along the pathway in front of them. The door, though simple, was made of glass, making it slightly graceful.

"So why are we here?" Ichigo asked.

Ichigo noticed a small blush creep across Moka's face and he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "W-Well, I just wanted to thank you yesterday for helping me."

Ichigo simply gave a small smile as he replied, "Hey, it's no problem. Glad to be of help."

Moka's blush intensified as she leaned in slightly. "I won't be a burden Ichigo. I'll be there for you. If there's anything I can do, just tell me ok?"

Ichigo closed his eyes as he continued smiling. "Ah hey, like I said, it's no problem. You don't need to be doing this."

When Ichigo opened his eyes he noticed that Moka's face seemed a _lot_ closer to his. He blinked and soon felt his heart racing. What's worse is that she seemed to be getting even _closer_. "Oh no…" Moka moaned softly.

A blush suddenly appeared on Ichigo's face when he heard the delicate sound escape her lips. "Uhhh… M-Moka?" Ichigo asked as he tried to get the girl's attention.

"Sorry it's just whenever I'm with you," She leaned even closer, but suddenly her head moved to the side of his neck. "I just want to suck your blood." And she bit down.

When Ichigo finally realized he was being drained of his blood he couldn't help but get up, startling Moka in the process.

"W-What's wrong?" Moka asked as she stared at Ichigo's shocked and slightly angered expression.

"Could you at least ask! I'm not a freakin juice box!" Ichigo yelled before storming off.

"Ichigo?" Moka spoke to Ichigo's retreating form.

---

Ichigo was pacing around, somewhere in the woods. Maybe he shouldn't have run off like that, but still. She _was_ eating him basically. And if this was how their relationship was going to be he didn't think he could handle it.

But then he sighed. They were already friends, albeit very strange friends, but friends nonetheless. As he looked up at the sky, he figured he should go and apologize or something. Just then, he heard a soft noise. It sounded like it was coming deeper from within the woods. So he walked deeper and the noise became clearer. They were words.

"S…Some…one… Help me." Ichigo kept walking as he tried to find the person, all the while thinking who the hell would walk so deep inside a forest?

Suddenly, he found the source of the plea for help. Ichigo froze for a moment. There, in front of him nearly collapsed on the ground was a beautiful girl with soft blue hair and purple eyes. If he had to guess, she might've been even more beautiful than Moka. And with a blush, he noted that her breasts were _definitely_ much bigger than Moka's.

"Please lend me a hand… I just suddenly started feeling ill." But now was not the time to speculate on such matters. With two quick strides, Ichigo was by the helpless girl.

"Hey are you ok? Can you stand up?" He asked as he helped her up. "We should go to the infirmary to see what's wrong."

The girl gave Ichigo a thankful smile, making him blush slightly. "Thank you very much," She said gratefully. "I've always had a weak body."

Suddenly she tripped, her body collapsing onto Ichigo's, who blushed madly when he felt the softness and the fullness of the girl's breasts. But he shook his head from such thoughts and asked in a slightly high-pitched voice, "A-Are you okay?"

"My… my chest… my chest just started hurting all of a sudden." She emphasized her weakness by nearly collapsing, making Ichigo catch her and hold onto her more tightly.

"Hold me tight like this." She begged as she pressed herself against Ichigo. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around Ichigo's shoulders.

"_So… soft! No! I'm not a pervert!"_ Ichigo thought as his heart raced. Now wasn't the time to be indulging! Maybe later…

"Hey," The girl spoke up, catching Ichigo's attention, "Look into my eyes Ichigo." Ichigo obeyed and suddenly felt this strange feeling wash over him. It made this head feel light, but at the same time it was warm and inviting.

Another presence within his mind also sensed the disturbance.

"I'm Kurono Kurumu. Please be a good friend to me, ok?" She asked, her eyes making her look helpless and innocent. The smile just seemed to tug at Ichigo's heartstrings. But…

This wasn't what Ichigo was feeling. _'W-What the hell is wrong with me?'_ Ichigo thought as he wrapped his arms tightly around Kurumu. _'Why am I holding her so possessively?'_

"Wah! What are you doing Ichigo!" Kurumu asked as she playfully tried to get out of his grasp.

'_What _Am_ I doing?'_ Ichigo asked himself as his body seemed to ignore his thoughts and grabbed ahold of Kurumu even more tightly.

Little did they know they were being watched. "Ichigo?" Moka asked herself as she saw the playful interactions between Ichigo and the new girl. She had to ask herself, who was she and what was she to Ichigo? They seemed to get along so well… like lovers…

"Hehe… aren't you the popular one… but be careful with women, boy."

Moka suddenly turned around and noticed a man with glowing white eyes smoking a cigarette. The aura that surrounded was rather ominous and if Moka had to admit, creepy. "Who are you?" She asked, shocked that she had been unaware of the man's presence.

The man grinned. "Just your average passerby." He replied mysteriously before walking away, leaving a baffled Moka.

---

Moka walked down the hallway, her mind wrought with thoughts on the girl Ichigo had been holding so dearly in his arms. _'What is that girl? What is she to Ichigo?'_ Such thoughts were overwhelming her mind, forcing her to stop walking and lean up against a wall.

"They really… looked like lovers didn't they? Totally all over each other like that…" Moka shook her head vigorously at those thoughts. "What's wrong with me? Why am I taking this as such a shock? I wonder…"

The memory of Ichigo's little outburst earlier sprang to mind. _'Could you at least ask! I'm not a freakin juice box!" _He had said. She hadn't mean to make him angry. But now that she thought about it, was that all he really was to her? Did she think nothing else of him other than as food?

"_Hey… stop. This isn't the time to feel down… you are being targeted."_ Moka's head snapped up as she looked around frantically.

"Huh? Wh-What! Who is it? Where's that voice…"

"You… are a vampire right?" Moka turned around and looked up to see a girl sitting on the railing of the stairs. She was eyeing Moka with a predatory look.

"That's at least what the rumors say Akashiya Moka."

"You!" Mokay yelled when she realized she had seen her before. "You were the one with Ichigo earlier! When did you…?" Suddenly the girl twisted herself over the railing and jumped down. She landed gracefully and without a noise save the squeak of her shoes.

Almost as soon as she landed the herd of boys that were behind her immediately started praising Kurumu's beauty. Kurumu in turn swung her hips, flaunting her beauty knowing that they were already mystified by her looks and figure.

Ignoring the rambling of the boys, she walked to and around Moka, almost as if she owned the girl. She intimidated her, making Moka feel small despite the fact that she was easily taller than the girl by half a head. "I am the succubus Kurono Kurumu…" She began, "I… have come to defeat you."

Moka's eyes widened in when she realized what this girl meant. "Wha… Wait a minute, isn't it against the school's rules to give away your true form?" She asked nervously, slightly backing away from Kurumu.

Kurumu in turned pointed an accusative finger at Moka as she said, "I can't stand it anymore! You're the biggest eyesore in the way of my great plan!"

"Pl…Plan?" Moka asked, putting a hand over her chest showing her nervousness.

"Huhu…" Her body moved, swaying seductively as she trapped the gaze of even more boys that had surrounded them. "Yes. My plan is to make every member of the male student body at this academy completely become my slave." She suddenly made a pose as she finished her speech in a haughty manner. "The Youkai Aademy Harem Transformation Plan!"

Moka simply stood there aghast, her face registering shock and surprise. Meanwhile, Kurumu simply continued on another long speech. "My plan was perfect! I should have had every boy at the academy a slave to my beauty right from the start!" Her eyes narrowed as she neared Moka, who backed off slightly. "However! Akashiya Moka, the guys at this Academy are dreaming about you rather than me! I'm not letting you get away with this; I could never lose in a battle of feminine charm!"

The crowd around them started backing off when they realized that argument was escalating. Kurumu started making exaggerated movements as she continued with her speech. "That's why I've decided to prove I can defeat you; I'll show you I'm better than you by stealing Kurosaki Ichigo away from you!"

Moka finally decided to get in a word and said, "Wait, stop! Ichigo doesn't have anything to do with this…"

"I knew it from the start… he has a really good scent. Almost like a human's." Moka's gaze was locked with Kurumu's whose eyes shined with triumph and victory. "Is his blood delicious?" She asked mockingly, "You're using Ichigo was food aren't you?"

She gave a haughty laugh as she said, "Your face when he is taken from you will be a sight to see!"

Moka took a step back as those biting words. "No… I'm not using him, I'm…"

"Moka!" Both girls stopped their arguing and turned their heads to find Ichigo walking towards them.

He stopped in front of Moka and scratched his cheek as he thought about what he was going to say. He then sighed and decided to wing it, "Well, I'm sorry for running off like that. I want to apologize to you for…"

"Ohhh! It's Ichigo!" Kurumu squealed with delight as she hugged his arm, pressing it against her supple breasts.

"Thank you so much for earlier!" Kurumu said as she rubbed herself against him.

"W-Wait! What are you doing? I came to apologize to Moka!" Ichigo yelled, feeling thoroughly embarrassed at the awkward situation.

Suddenly, he felt a very sharp reiatsu spike coming Moka. Her turned his head and couldn't help but be surprised by the power she was letting out.

That and she seemed pissed. Pissed off women were never a good thing in Ichigo's book, they were nothing but trouble like that! So Ichigo tried prying off Kurumu, who was surprisingly strong. That and his body's reactions towards her sensual movements had already left him weakened.

"S-Stop that Kurumu!" Ichigo asked pleadingly, "I came to apologize to Moka!" Somehow, he actually managed to push her off even if it did take supreme effort.

Ichigo slowly backed away from both girls, looking from one to the other. Then he heard an audible sigh of relief escape Moka's lips. "Good job Ichigo! She was only tricking you! That Kurumu really isn't your friend!"

Ichigo turned his head and asked, "What do you mean she's tricking me?"

But before he could get an answer in response, his head was forcefully turned away from Moka. Next thing he knew, he was staring into the amethyst eyes of Kurono Kurumu. "Charm!" She whispered as she used her Succubus technique on Ichigo.

'_Ugh, not again! Why am I feeling all dizzy and weird again! Crap!" _Ichigo thought, feeling annoyed that he wasn't in control of his body again. Suddenly, the world seemed to slow down and his mind was transferred to the blue city that was Ichigo's mind.

'_**You should be used to that now… Ichigo."**_ A sinister voice taunted, surrounding Ichigo. Ichigo simply looked left and right, trying to locate his inner hollow.

'_What the hell do you want?' _Ichigo asked, wary of what might happen if _he_ gained control.

'_**You're so pathetic Ichigo, you can't even resist the charms of a woman! What a weak king I have!'**_ His inner hollow taunted, ignoring Ichigo's question. Ichigo was sure he was also grinning maniacally. He drew Zangetsu, only to feel a sharp pain in his hand. The next thing he knew, he was back in the real world.

"If she's tricking me, then why are you the one sucking on my blood?" Ichigo heard himself say. When he realized what he had said, he tried to apologize, but his body refused to respond. It was like he was in a trance… and he was getting the feeling that Kurumu might be behind this.

But the shocked and hurt look on Moka's face made him feel bad. He saw her eyes tear up as she shook visibly. Then, she turned around and ran away, crying as she did so. Ichigo tried to chase after her, but he felt something tug at the back of his shirt.

It was Kurumu, and she was holding her chest once again. "I-Ichigo, I'm feeling sick again. Can you take me to the infirmary?" She asked pleadingly.

Now Ichigo knew something was up. He eyed Kurumu warily, but figured that if he wanted to find out anything about the girl, he would have to be alone with her. "Fine." He said as he lifted her up and threw her over his shoulders.

Kurumu couldn't help but blush. He really did have a good scent. Not only that, but there was a strange and powerful aura surrounding him. It radiated strength, and it was warm. Her blush intensified slightly when she noticed she was staring at Ichigo's ass. She was very tempted to give them a pinch. But she would refrain… for now…

---

Though Ichigo was wondering why he had said that, he wondered if deep down he meant it. After all, he did feel pretty upset that he was being used as food. They were supposed to be friends, what kind of friends eat each other?

While Ichigo was thinking these thoughts, Kurumu was too busy celebrating in her mind. _'I did it! I made that annoying Moka cry!' _Her body twisted in happiness as tears of joy welled up in her eyes, _'Yahooo! Did you see that pitiful face? I can't take it! Hahah!'_

She turned and faced Ichigo and thought, _'Now all I need to do is make Ichigo my slave and I win…'_ Her thoughts suddenly trailed off as she took a good look at his face. Her face flushed slightly and she could feel hear heart beat strongly in her heart. It beat like a drum, resonating inside her tiny frame. A deep want suddenly filled her unlike anything she had ever experienced with her other 'boyfriends.'

"Ichigo…" She whispered out his name quietly.

"What?" Ichigo snapped in annoyance, but that was soon erased when his face come into contact with something soft and firm.

'_Eh?!'_ Was the only thing going through Ichigo's mind as his eyes widened in surprise.

"You're frustrated, aren't you Ichigo?" She asked tenderly, her voice suddenly filled with affection.

She pressed Ichigo's head deeper into her chest as she said, "Sorry… Kurumu will make it up to you and make you feel all better."

With her strength, she actually picked up Ichigo and plopped him on the bed. Ichigo tried to get up, but his arms were pinned by Kurumu's hands as she straddled his waist. Her blood felt like it was on fire, it was an entirely new feeling. Her body trembled slightly as she positioned herself for the kiss. She didn't know why her body was being so worked up like this, but she liked it. Somehow, the plan to make every male her slave seemed to recede and disappear and all she could focus on was Ichigo.

Ichigo looked deeply into Kurumu's eyes. They made him feel… strange, and not like before. They seemed to hold an emotion that Ichigo couldn't fathom. Suddenly, he noticed a sort of pulse emanate from her eyes and he had the strange sensation from earlier. Once again, he wasn't in control of his body as his hands reached for Kurumu's face, stroking her cheek tenderly.

'_**Such a weak king. There's no choice, I have to help him!'**_The voice said as it chuckled with sinister enthusiasm.

Just as her lips were about to connect to Ichigo's, she felt a sudden rise in power come from him. The next thing she knew, her back was hitting the wall, leaving cracks that trailed up to the ceiling. She grunted slightly as she got back on her feet.

"What was that for?" Kurumu yelled angrily, but was silenced when she felt another wave of dark energy hit her.

"Ichigo?" She asked cautiously as his power began to make her tremble and feel weak. Just then he looked up to her. Her face registered shock, surprise… and want. Ichigo's faced seemed barren of emotion save for the crazed grin he sported on his face. His eyes, now turned yellow glowed menacingly as they stared at Kurumu with a predatory look that somehow looked indifferent at the same time.

Her heart skipped a beat. She wanted him… _badly_. His power radiated and surrounded her like a cloak. Suddenly, the energy receded back into Ichigo who grabbed his head. They both sat there, neither moving. Ichigo because he was still trying to convince his inner hollow to stay quiet and Kurumu because she was still in awe of what had transpired.

Suddenly the door was swung wide open, revealing a concerned Moka. "Ichigo! Kurumu's a Succubus and she…" She paused as she looked at the scene in front of her. It didn't look like Ichigo was in trouble. In fact, she really didn't know what to make of it.

"A succubus?" Ichigo asked after finally reigning in his Hollow.

"That's right." Kurumu answered for them as she slowly got up. After the energy had gone away she realized one thing: Ichigo had stopped her from kissing him… and now, she was pissed.

Ichigo and Moka's eyes widened in surprise as Kurumu suddenly grew a pair of leathery wings from her back and her fingers lengthened into sharp… knives? They were more like claws actually, really long ones at that. Ichigo was the first to open his mouth when he sensed a menacing reiatsu come from Kurumu, "Wait… what do you think you're doing?"

"Shut up!" Kurumu yelled. "You… Ichigo. I did so many things for you, embarrassing things at that. Yet you shoved me off like I was some hideous thing! Do you hate me that much… ICHIGO!?"

Without warning Kurumu lunged at Ichigo, surprising the young Shinigami as he tried to dodge. But he didn't even need to dodge as Moka came to his rescue and pushed the Succubus through a window.

"Now run Ichigo! Run while there's still time!" Moka's panicked form yelled.

"Wait a minute, what the hell is going on here?" Ichigo asked said with frustration evident in his voice.

Moka looked down thoughtfully, and a bit sadly, as she replied, "I'm sorry you got wrapped up in this Ichigo. The girl is a Succubus and it seems she wants revenge on me and because of that, she's targeted you Ichigo."

"Hmpf… to be thrown so far." Ichigo and Moka turned to see Kurumu simply floating in the air, a few feet away from the broken window. "A vampire's power is really something."

Then her beautiful face contorted into a scowl as she menacingly yelled, "Come down here… and I'll kill the both of you!"

"No." Ichigo stated, surprising the two girls. "I'll fight you alone Kurumu." Ichigo grabbed the backpack that housed Zangetsu and calmly walked towards Kurumu.

Kurumu gritted her teeth in anger. She really wanted to kill the both of them, but she supposed she could get them one at a time. "Fine." She replied. In a burst of speed, her tail wrapped around Ichigo's ankle. Said person was surprised when he was flung out the window and sent soaring. The only thing that stopped him was the tree that he had crashed into.

"Ow." Ichigo said, still truck in the imprint he had made in the thick tree. He shook his head and opened his eyes just in time to see Kurumu flying towards him at incredible speed with her claws extended. Ichigo barely had time to dive down and when looked up, he saw that the tree was cleanly sliced where the claws had cut.

This was getting serious and so he took out Zangetsu from the backpack… or he would've if the zipper hadn't gotten stuck. Ichigo gave a comical expression of annoyance at his backpack, before turning around and ducking another of Kurumu's swipes. Just then, she heard her laughing.

"AHAHA! What do you think you're doing Ichigo? You're about to be killed and all you're doing is messing with your backpack!" Kurumu sneered as she rose in the air, then dived down, ready to slice Ichigo into pieces.

Ichigo simply sighed. He hoped this would work. Grabbing where he supposed would be the hilt, he hauled the backpack over his shoulders. He got into a battle stance as he waited for the perfect moment to strike. Then when Kurumu was only a few meters away, he swung Zangetsu forward and yelled, "Getsuga Tenshou!"

Kurumu was taken by surprise when brilliant bluish white light began heading towards her. She tried slowing herself so that she could dodge, but it was no use and she was hit full on by Ichigo's attack. The attack engulfed her before an explosion followed. After the smoke cleared, Ichigo looked on in surprise to see the Succubus still standing… err, floating.

Kurumu gave Ichigo a dark look before she felt the last of her energy slip away. She fell from the sky, tumbling through the air and she braced herself for impact. But it never came. Ichigo, despite his distance from her, had somehow managed to catch her and set her down gently besides a rock. He looked at his for a moment and noticed nothing but concern in his eyes.

"Umm… here…" Ichigo looked away, a blush on his cheeks, as he handed Kurumu his school jacket.

Kurumu looked down and noticed she was only in her blue bra and panties. She blushed and took the jacket, whispering a thanks.

"So… why did you attack us?" Ichigo questioned, still looking away.

Kurumu looked at Ichigo with a new admiration in her eyes. He could've killed her if he wanted. She had been weak and vulnerable. But he didn't. Instead, he had saved her from plummeting to her doom and even given her his jacket to cover up. Her heart began to beat with a new vigor as she finally realized what had caused those feelings earlier.

"Because Moka was in the way of my plan." Kurumu began.

"Plan?" Ichigo asked.

Kurumu nodded though Ichigo couldn't see since he was still facing away. "I was trying to seduce all the men I came across. Us Succubi seek a 'destined encounter' among the men we tempt. In order to keep our small species from dying out, we must carefully pick just one man out of many to be our destined one."

"So… You're just trying to find your true love basically?" Ichigo surmised.

A small smile spread across Kurumu's face. "Yea, that's basically it."

Ichigo nodded to himself. "Well… that's ok, just try not to be violent about it."

Kurumu giggled as she hugged Ichigo's jacket closer to herself, inhaling his scent. "I'll try not to. I think I've found my destined one already.

Ichigo finally turned around to face her, and said while raising an eyebrow, "Eh? Really? Who is it?"

Kurumu looked deeply into Ichigo's eyes and said, "It's yo—"

"Ichigo!" Said person turned around to see a girl with pink hair running towards them.

"Hey Moka." Said person ran up to him, panting slightly.

"Is everything alright?" Moka asked, noticing Kurumu leaning on the rock.

"Yea, I got everything settled. She won't attack us again."

Moka gave a relieved smile. "Oh good, I'm glad Ichigo."

Ichigo stretched and yawn, causing the two girls to giggle. Said two girls gave each other an electrified look, which Ichigo completely missed. "Well, I think it's time we hit the hay. I'm tired."

"Yup!" Moka agreed.

"Umm…" Ichigo turned his head towards Kurumu, and noted that something was on her mind.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, my clothes are shredded and I don't want to walk alone… so…" Kurumu figured that Ichigo would catch her drift.

Ichigo blinked, then a light bulb went off in his head. "Oh right, you want us to walk you home right? Guess we could do that."

A minute later, they were well on their merry way back to their dorms. They chatted a bit while Kurumu flashed a bit of her lingerie at Ichigo from time to time.

---

"Huh? The rosary started talking to you?" Ichigo questioned as he gave the Rosary around her neck a strange look.

"Yea, the voice ended up tell me about Kurumu. But it's strange, maybe the seal is weakening." A look of uncertainty crossed her face as she looked at Ichigo from the corner of her eye. "Hey, if it comes to the point where the seal doesn't work anymore… Ichigo… you would still like me… right?"

Ichigo gave a rare smile as he said, "Sure, how bad could you be?"

Moka blushed as she sunk her head into her shoulders in embarrassment. That smile… it made her feel strange and wonderful at the same time!

"GOOD MORNING!" Came a voice from behind them, causing Ichigo to stagger forward.

"What now?" Ichigo asked in annoyance only to find Kurumu standing there with a smile and holding a plate of cookies. His annoyance lessened… slightly.

"Ichigo, I baked some cookies, won't you eat them with me?" She asked with an adorable smile on her face.

Ichigo sighed. "Eh sure, but what's this for?" He asked as he took a cookie and bit it. "Wow, tasty." He then bit the cookie again, this time savoring it a bit more.

Kurumu giggled, glad that her destined one liked her baking. "Hey Ichigo, remember when you asked me who my destined one was?"

Ichigo nodded as he took another cookie from the plate. "I've decided… it's Ichigo!"

Ichigo paused in mid-bite of his cookie. His eyes turned towards Kurumu and he only uttered one noise. "EH?!"

This, my friends, would be the start of Ichigo's new life at Youkai Academy!

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**And.. CUT! That's a wrap! See ya tomorrow folks!**


	3. Clubs

**So….**

**Here you go!**

**Note: I suck at describing clothes…**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"No!" Kurosaki Ichigo yelled as he walked in the opposite direction of a pink haired girl.

"P-Please Ichigo! I'm really hungry!" Moka whined as she chased Ichigo. As if to emphasize her hunger, her stomach growled.

Ichigo stopped in his tracks, causing Moka to stop as well. He slapped a hand to his face, probably wishing he hadn't done that since it stung a little. He grumbled to himself as he whipped around and faced Moka. He gave her a hard look, then sighed. "Alright fine."

Moka giggled and rushed to Ichigo only to be grabbed by the shoulders. "Not hard though, ok?"

Moka nodded rapidly, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "Thank you so much Ichigo!"

The next thing Ichigo knew, he was already being chomped down on by the pink haired vampire. His eyes widened slightly as he yelped, "Ow!"

Moka pulled her head from Ichigo's neck, a faraway look on her face. Her heart beat rapidly as she was filled with sensations of ecstasy and pleasure beyond belief. Truly she could get addicted to Ichigo's blood!

"What did I just say!" Ichigo asked as he waved his free hand angrily while the other covered the gushing wound from his neck.

Moka stuck out her tongue in an embarrassed manner before saying,"Oops! Sorry Ichigo! I can't help that your blood is so delicious!"

"Gah." Ichigo sighed. "Well, we better get to class now."

With a happy nod, Moka linked Ichigo's arm in hers and they headed off towards school!

---

"Well then everyone," the brown-haired teacher began, "This Academy's goal is to train monsters to adapt to human society… just as I've been saying all along…"

"So that means... starting today you're all going to take up club activities!" The cat-like teacher finished off enthusiastically.

But Ichigo wasn't really paying attention. Since a while ago, he had been feeling a strong reiatsu pulse nearby… almost like a beacon. The reiatsu was as menacing as it was strong, and that made Ichigo feel ill for some reason. Where could've a reiatsu like that come from? What's worse was that he felt that he should know this particular reiatsu signature.

"Understand? Everyone will participate in club activities!" Ichigo just barely heard the teacher… and suddenly his mind was racing. He had to join a club? When did _this_ happen!

"Everyone please visit a lot of groups and decide which one you want to enter." She said before _casually _reminding everyone to visit the newspaper club since she was the advisor… *hint hint*

---

Moka and Ichigo looked around and were amazed by the mass of students just swarming around them. There were stands, signs, all with one purpose: To try and recruit people into their club. Moka and Ichigo covered their ears when a random student with a microphone began babbling incoherent words… that or he was speaking in a different language.

After the guy stopped talking, courtesy of someone throwing a brick at him, Moka asked, "Hey Ichigo, what club should we join?"

Ichigo simply shrugged. "It doesn't matter as long as we get in one." Ichigo casually replied. But his mind was other than relaxed for now the reiatsu signature was stronger than earlier.

"You're right," Moka noded, "It's too early to decide. Let's visit lots of clubs and see what they have to offer!" She ended excitedly.

As they walked down the crowded hall, Ichigo could hear the prattle of the boys who happened to notice Moka walking by. They all gave tribute to Moka's beauty and cursed Ichigo's name. Ichigo was, to a great extent, getting tired of that. But there wasn't anything he could do about it. He couldn't just randomly go about attacking random students… well… he _could_, but he shouldn't.

"It's been a long time… Ichigo." Ichigo paused as he felt a cold, dreadful feeling make its way down his spine. He slowly, almost painfully, turned his head. His eyes widened when he noticed who was greeting him. Zaraki Kenpachi!

"Y-Yo…" Ichigo greeted warily. So _that's_ where the reiatsu was coming from…

"Hi! It's nice to meet you, I'm Akashiya Moka!" Moka greeted as she bowed in front of Kenpachi, who sported a devil of a grin. Behind him was a banner over a crudely made stand that said 'Shinigami Club.' Inside the stall, Yachiru was handing out papers… or rather, throwing them at people who happened to get close by.

"Oh? You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend Ichigo." If possible, Kenpachi's grin grew even wider. "It's about time you grew a pair of b—"

"Ah!" Ichigo interrupted, "I don't think we'll be joining this club!" Ichigo said quickly as he hastily turned Moka around and pushed her away from the 'Shinigami Club.'

"See you around Ichigo!" Kenpachi said, his grin never faltering. He could already feel his sword shaking in excitement!

---

With that behind them, Moka and Ichigo continued for their search of the right club. So far, they had found none they wanted. Earlier a creepy man had pulled them over and asked to take photos of Moka… in the nude. Then they ended up at the chemistry club's stand, Ichigo thinking that it might've been somewhat normal. Well, it wasn't… they were offering to make love potions with Moka while completely ignoring Ichigo. Then there was the acupuncture club who, instead of using a dummy to place their needles, actually used a real live person.

All in all there was nothing but weird clubs.

'_Don't they have any normal clubs?'_ Ichigo thought to himself in annoyance.

Then, as if someone from above had heard Ichigo's plea, a voice spoke up. "Hey you, would you like to join the swimming club?"

Ichigo turned around and saw a beautiful woman in a two piece swimsuit. She was, oddly enough, wearing a long sleeve button up shirt over herself… without it actually being buttoned. "I'm the swimming club captain, Ichinose Tamao!" Then as she turned to Ichigo, her face held a lascivious look. "Why don't we swim together?"

Before Ichigo could gather his thoughts, the woman had somehow managed to grab both of his hands and hold them in hers. "The swimming club is all female…" She began as she moved one hand to Ichigo's face, stroking his cheek, "The ladies will end up paying lots of special attention to the boys who join our club!"

Ichigo blinked, a nearly invisible blush present on his cheeks. Well, the club did _seem_ normal. So Ichigo agreed. But when Tamao smiled, a sudden feeling in the pit of his stomach made him regret the decision. He had long learned to pay attention for it had saved him countless of times in the past. Still… he might as well give it a shot, and he most _definitely_ wasn't doing it just to see women in bikinis!

Moka on the other hand, was shocked when she realized that Ichigo had agreed. Didn't he know that water drained vampires of their power? She guessed he didn't since he simply followed Tamao to the swimming pool Moka, with no choice, followed Ichigo.

---

Ichigo looked at Moka out of the corner of his eye. For some reason, she didn't look too happy to be here. She kept eying the water in a particular way. Suddenly, it hit him like one of Neliel's tackles: Moka was afraid of water.

"Do you want to swim?" Ichigo asked the question selectively. Depending on her answer, it would prove if he was right or wrong.

Ichigo saw Moka's eyes widen as she began to fidget nervously. "I-I really don't like swimming Ichigo…" She replied in a sad manner.

Ichigo sighed, guess it couldn't be helped. "All right, let's go." He said to Moka, who gasped in surprise.

"R-Really?"

"That's what I said." Ichigo reiterated.

Moka turned towards the pool before saying, "I thought you wanted to swim?"

Ichigo simply shrugged. "Well it's obvious that you don't like swimming so why join a club where one of us will be miserable?"

Moka turned to Ichigo, a slight blush on her cheeks. Her heart raced, feeling warm from Ichigo's kindness. Her eyes shimmered as they expressed gratefulness to Ichigo… who was feeling slightly creeped out at being stared at so intensely.

But before they could leave, Ichigo was suddenly pulled away. "What are you doing? Hurry up and come with swim with us!" It was Tamao and currently, she was dragging Ichigo away from Moka.

"C-Captain?" Moka yelled before she blushed when they began ripping off Ichigo's clothes. Somehow, without him ever once being naked, they had managed to get him into swimming trunks.

But now, Moka and Tamao were all alone since Ichigo had been dragged towards the pool. Tamao walked to Moka, forcing a strong presence upon Moka, slightly frightening the girl. "Hm? So you're the rumored Akashiya Moka-san! Rumors say that you're also a vampire, I wonder if it's true?"

Though Tamao was smiling, it lacked any real warmth and her eyes shined cruelly as she said, "Well… anyway, this is the swimming club. If you have no intention of swimming, why don't you leave?"

Shocked and hurt, Moka left the swimming pool, but not the premises.

---

Moka stared at Ichigo and Tamao. It really did look like they were having fun… that is until Ichigo suddenly shoved Tamao and got out of the swimming pool. Moka noticed that Ichigo was walking towards her with an angry scowl on his face. "Come on Moka," He said, "Let's get out of here."

If there was one thing Ichigo did not like, it was doing something against his will. It _really_ ticked him off. Before he had approached Moka, he had picked off his clothes from the floor and grabbed his backpack. Now, he was leaving the premises with Moka in tow when suddenly a loud scream pierced the air.

Ichigo turned his head around and the scene before him made his eyes widen in horror. One of the boys had been bitten by two girls… and his youth seemed to drain for him. Before Ichigo's very eyes the boy turned into an old man. In response, Ichigo dropped his clothes and slung his backpack over his shoulders and readied himself into a battle stance. "What are you doing?" Ichigo questioned angrily.

Tamao simply gave a calm smile as she said, "And just when I had finally chased off that bothersome Moka-san." Suddenly, her hand turned into a webbed claw as a strong reiatsu seemed to emanate from her. "Isn't the fun just beginning?"

Then she jumped out of the water, revealing a long fish-like tail before crashing into the water. As she did so, she splashed a large amount of water towards Ichigo and Moka. The former wasn't affected, but Moka was having problems. She fell to her knees as she felt her energy being sapped away by the water's purification effects.

"Ack!" She screamed as lances of electricity flew from her body. Ichigo turned around and upon noticing Moka, leaned down and asked, "Are you alright Moka?"

Ichigo flinched when one of the arcs of electricity hit him. Was the water… draining her of her energy? If that was the case, then he needed to get her out of here and fast! But then the multiple screams of other people made Ichigo hesitate. He needed to save them too.

"Need help?" Ichigo looked up and saw Kurumu trying to help Moka up. Ichigo saw Kurumu look at him, before saying, "Don't you know? Vampires can't go into the water! Because water drains a vampire's energy!"

Ichigo really wanted to slap himself. He really should've listened to that feeling in the pit of his stomach. But now was not the time, now he had to go and rescue the unlucky men who were being drained of their youth. Finally, for the first time, he actually took Zangetsu out of his backpack and walked towards the edge of the swimming pool.

"Stop what you're doing!" Ichigo yelled at the mermaids.

"Oh?" Tamao asked disbelievingly. "And who's going to stop me? You Ichigo?" Suddenly, she snapped her fingers and all the mermaids headed straight towards Ichigo.

Ichigo readied himself as Tamao kept talking, "I don't know how strong you are, but in our territory, a mermaid will always be victorious! If you're going to beg for your life, now's the time!" She cackled maniacally as her mouth turned into a fish's mouth, but with dagger-like teeth set in three different rows. Talk about having a big mouth…

Ichigo jumped into the air as the mermaids smashed their fists onto the concrete, shattering it. Tamao looked up and grinned wickedly as she triumphantly yelled, "You're too slow! Though you talk tough, it seems you're totally weak!"

With tremendous force, she launched herself into the air towards Ichigo. "You're a great target in mid-air!" She yelled, "Now DIE!"

Then, to everyone's great surprise and disbelief, Ichigo simply stood… on the air. Just as Tamao was about to get him, he pivoted and grabbed her by her hair. "Aurggh! Let go of me! I'll kill youl!" Tamao screamed as she thrashed around in Ichigo's grip.

Noticing their leader was in trouble, the rest of the mermaids leaped into the air to try and get Ichigo. Ichigo simply stood there and, using the dull side of Zangetsu, simply swatted them away. Each one could only take one hit before plummeting back to the pool, dazed and unconscious.

The leader stared in awe at the scene below her. Never had she seen such an incredible display of power! All her mermaids were defeated so easily! Suddenly, a pressure surrounded her entire body, nearly suffocating her. She felt like screaming since the force, though noiseless, hurt her ears. Her body writhed in pain until the force stopped a few seconds later.

"Don't let me catch you pulling another stunt like this again." Ichigo said in a serious tone. Tamao nodded before she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head, rendering her unconscious. Ichigo slowly descended and lay her down on the concrete.

"That was amazing!" Kurumu yelled ecstatically as she pressed Ichigo's face into her chest. "I've never seen anything like it! How did you do it?"

Ichigo managed to pull Kurumu away from him, though it did take a bit of strength. Then, he took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye before saying, "Where's Moka?"

Kurumu was a bit surprised, and a bit jealous that he had asked for Moka. But she still answered him, "She over there in one of the chairs."

Ichigo nodded and headed towards Moka with Kurumu in tow. As he approached, he noticed Moka looking at him tiredly, and he couldn't help but feel this was partially his fault. "Are you alright Moka?" Ichigo asked.

Moka gave a small smile as she replied, "Yes, I am Ichigo. I'd like to thank you actually."

With a confused look on his face, Ichigo asked, "Thank me? How come?"

"Well, you could've just continued swimming, but you didn't. And earlier you had noticed that I was uncomfortable around water and offered to leave the pool. Even though you didn't know vampires were weak against water, you were kind enough to take my feelings into account." Her smile grew slightly wider as her eyes seemed to brighten as she looked at Ichigo.

Ichigo scratched the back of his head as he gave a sigh. "Well… you're welcome?" He figured that was the only thing he could really say at the moment.

Moka nodded before she said, "I think it's time to go back to the dorms."

"Yea, I guess. Do you need some help Moka?" Ichigo offered.

Kurumu simply watched the exchange in silence. She really wanted to butt in, but she knew it would be rude to do that, especially in Moka's especially weakened form. Though she was jealous, at the same time, her heart grew for Ichigo. Not only was he strong, but he was kind and gentle despite his mean looking face. He really did care about his friends. She gave a small smile as she decided to speak up, "I'll take Moka back to the dorms Ichigo."

Ichigo turned to face Kurumu and blinked. "Really? Are you sure?" He asked.

Kurumu nodded happily. "Yes, I'd be happy too"

Ichigo simply shrugged. "Alright, guess I'll see you two later then."

"Bye Ichigo!" Both Kurumu and Moka said. Then they turned to look at each other, sparks flying between their eyes. But then they smiled as Kurumu helped Moka up and walked her back to the dorms.

---

The next morning, Ichigo walked down the quiet hallway. Somehow, everything had been already cleared up despite the fact that it was jam packed the other day. And now, Ichigo was still trying to figure out which club to join. With all the action that went on yesterday, they didn't finish their search. Suddenly, a voice spoke up from behind Ichigo, causing him to turn around.

"Just the person I wanted to talk to!" It was Nekonome-sensei and she was just as perky as ever. "Have you decided which club you're going to join? The only ones who haven't decided yet are you and Moka-san!"

Ichigo could only grin sheepishly as he replied, "Ah, no. We haven't joined any club yet."

The two tufts of hair on Nekonome's head began wiggling as her smile widened. Ichigo couldn't help but wonder if those things were ears. "Splendid! Then I wonder if you both wouldn't join my club… the newspaper club!"

'_Well, that does sound normal. And I wouldn't have to worry about the teacher trying to eat me… I hope…'_ Ichigo thought.

"Well, I'd like to join. But I don't know about M—"

"That's great! I'll join that club!" Ichigo turned around and noticed a Moka brimming with happiness walking towards them. Ichigo couldn't help but give a small smile at her energy. It seemed she was feeling much better.

Then out of nowhere, Nekonome pulled out a banner that read 'Welcome to the Newspaper Club' and said, "Then you two have both decided on the newspaper club right?"

But before they could say anything, Kurumu came out of nowhere and yelled, "I'm also joining!"

"Kurmu?" Moka and Ichigo asked at the same time. Then they both turned to look at each other… and blinked. Looks like they were in the newspaper club now.

**XXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Kinda short, but the actual managa chapter is kinda short too. Plus I decided to change things up just a little. I just realized that I'm not actually following the manga accordingly… oh well.**


	4. Werewolf

**And…**

**Here's the next chapter… there WILL be certain events out of order... **

**Scratch that, I think most, if not all of the events will be out of order. **

**Sorry for the delay folks! College, Girlfriend, and Inglorious Basterds have kept me busy! Great movie by the way! The length does not detract from it either!**

**XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Please Please Please Please!" Moka begged as she chased an upset Ichigo across the graveyard that was their school walkway.

Ichigo stopped and gave a harsh sigh. He paused for three seconds, then decided to turn around. But he didn't have any time to say anything before Moka leaped at him.

*Chuu!*

"Gah!" Ichigo yelped as he felt himself hit the dirt, a hungry Moka sucking on his blood eagerly.

After she had her fill, she pulled away, an ecstatic look on her face. She walked in circles from the sheer happiness she was feeling. "Ahhhh! Thanks for the treat! Your blood really is the best Ichigo! I think I might get addicted to you!" As if to emphasize, her smile was content and her cheeks were stained a rosy pink hue.

As Ichigo lay on the ground, his left eye twitching, he couldn't help but wonder; would it always be like this?

---

"Ichigo!" Kurumu yelled as she embraced Ichigo in a fierce hug. "Today we start going to the club together, right?"

Before Ichigo had a chance, Ichigo's face was shoved into Kurumu's ample cleavage. "I'm just so happy I can be in the same club as you Ichigo!" She said happily and with a blush on her cheeks.

'_Huhu, Ichigo is my destined one so just watch me deepen my connection with Ichigo into a lovely relationship… because I'm not going to lose to you, AKASHIYA MOKA!'_ Kurumu thought as she sent a heated glare to Moka, who sent one back at her.

---

"Well then everyone, thanks for joining my club!" Nekonome said enthusiastically. "So let's begin the club activities for the Youkai Academy Newspaper Club!"

Ichigo swiveled his head left, then right, then he looked forward again. _'Are we the only members in this club?'_

Deciding to find out, he asked, "Sensei, are we really the only members here?"

At the question, Nekonome's 'ears' wiggled as she said, "Don't be silly!"

"Excuse me!" Came a voice from beyond the classroom door.

"See, here he come the other members!" Nekonome said as she pointed towards the door.

A boy with short brown hair came in, wearing the school's uniform. Besides him was a cute girl with purple hair and soft, aqua blue eyes. A lollipop twirled in her mouth and she seemed to be scooting closer to the boy next to her. The boy raised his hand in greeting as he shyly said, "Hi. I'm Aono Tsukune and this is…"

"Shirayuki Mizore…" The girl finished in a quiet manner. The lollipop in her mouth rolled from one side of her mouth to the other as she spoke.

"Yo, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo." Ichigo said as he nodded towards Tsukune and Mizore.

"Hi! My name is Akashiya Moka." Moka greeted them with a bow. Tsukune in turn bowed back. He smiled as he straightened; finally they found a club that seemed somewhat normal.

"And I'm Kurono Kurumu! You can look, but not touch because Ichigo is my destined one and I won't allow any other man touch me!" Kurumu said as she bounced her breasts in front of Tsukune, who fought back a nosebleed.

Before she realized what had happened, an ice kunai had lodged itself in Kurumu's forehead. "Eh?" Kurumu said before falling backwards. Ichigo himself quickly got into a battle stance, minus the backpack that housed Zangetsu.

Tsukune suddenly waved his arms in frenzy, trying to get everyone's attention. "S-Sorry about that! Mizore just has… issues she still needs to work out. She's a shy girl, right Mizore?" Tsukune said as he stared into Mizore's eyes, which caused Mizore's cheeks to be stained a light pink.

"Y-Yea…" She agreed, but then again, she would agree to almost anything Tsukune would say… not that he was aware of her feelings for him. Then, she looked at the group in front of her and apologized.

Ichigo eased his stance, but was still wary about the strange girl. Nekonome, who had been watching the entire scene, decided to interfere. "Well, let's sit down and start out club activities!" She said, the tail behind her wagging.

They all took a seat in the front row since they were the only ones in the classroom. But all the while, Nekonome was wondering where their last member was. Then, almost as if her question was answered, there was a knock on the door frame, causing everyone to turn around.

"Greetings! I'm the president of this newspaper club, Morioka Ginei." The person said as gave a dazzling smile while holding three bouquets of flowers. "Pleased to meet ya!"

With swiftness, he quickly handed the three flowers to Mizore, Moka, and Kurumu. Kurumu and Moka stared at Ginei blankly while Mizore simply froze the flowers and crushed them into tiny bits. But Ginei didn't pay attention to that. Instead, he focused all his attention on a certain pink haired vampire. "Oooh! The teacher told me about you, what a beautiful new club member you have!" He said as he gave a smile that would make most girls melt. "You can call me 'Gin.' Ahh… red flowers are always suitable for such lovely ladies!"

Ichigo and Tsukune could only stare as Gin flirted shamelessly with the girls, but mainly Moka. Moka in turn, was confused as to why Gin was looking so intently at her.

Then Nekonome decided to introduce Gin properly. "Gin-kun is the only second year club member. Just ask Gin-kun anything you don't know about this club, ok?"

"Heh, you can always count on me!" Gin agreed, showing of his pretty whites in another dazzling smile!

Ichigo felt that something was weird with this guy. Something was off in the way he smiled and acted. But he was brought out of his thoughts when Kurumu wrapped her arms around him and whispered to him, "Ichigo, I'm not very good with this kind of flirty guy!"

"Well, I must be going since I have a staff meeting. Take care of the rest of the club proceedings, Gin-kun!" Nekonome said, already halfway out the door.

"Okay! Leave it to me!" Gin assured.

"Wait!" Ichigo said as he got up from his seat, his tone incredulous. "You're already leaving?"

"Sorry, see you later everyone! Make friends with your sempai ok!" Nekonome said before disappearing behind the door.

Ichigo and Tsukune couldn't help but stare blankly as the door slowly closed behind Nekonome.

---

"So, what exactly do we do?" Tsukune asked.

"Hmm… well let's see." Gin began, but not before giving that show-off smile once again. "First I'll give you the explanation of just what kind of club this is."

"The goal of the newspaper club is to publish the school newspaper. Most of your activity will be reporting on all kinds of things within the academy and putting them in the newspaper!" At that his smile turned into a mysterious grin that set off alarms in Ichigo and Tsukune's head. "We'll be put into dangerous situations time after time for the sake of reporting! I'll tell you right now, this ain't gonna be no easy ride! Once you've joined, you should prepare yourself!"

An odd silence filled the air. It was like some unknown tension had been created by the people present in the room. Moka decided to say something since the silence bothered her. "He seems like… someone we can depend on, right?"

No one saw the flicker of a malicious grin cross Gin's features before he switched to his I'm-just-a-kind-and-harmless-person look. "Just messing with ya! Let's have some fun without all the strict talk!" He said disarmingly as he pulled out a poster and held it to the club members, "This is our poster ad, let's put it up on the back wall!

---

"Senpai! Is this high enough to stick the posters?" Moka asked. Currently they were at the back of the classroom hanging up posters. Moka and Kurumu were standing on top of chairs, trying to put the posters on the wall while Ichigo was stacking papers. Mizore and Tsukune had gone off to get some supplies for the club.

"No! Just a bit higher!" Their senpai said.

"Huh?!" Kurumu turned and gave a questioning look towards Gin since she was unsure of why the poster needed to be higher.

"What! Even higher?" Moka asked in an apprehensive tone.

"Yea! Much, much higher!" Gin replied, a hint of a blush across his features.

All the while, Ichigo had not taken his eye off of Gin. His attitude bothered Ichigo. Sometimes he was flirty and friendly, and other times he seemed to be deadly serious. His gut feeling was telling him that something was wrong with this guy. Suddenly, Ichigo noticed Gin bend down and he was staring at….?

Ichigo suddenly became alarmed when he realized that Gin was looking at the girls' panties! The man was completely shameless! Not only did he bend over, but he was practically sitting on the floor and enjoying the view! Gin simply watched as the girls struggled to put the poster as high up as they could. Angry, Ichigo decided to stop Gin from staring at Kurumu's yellow panties and at Moka's white ones.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing?" Ichigo yelled as her marched over and pulled Gin up by the tie. Finally, he was grabbing someone _else's_ tie rather than being hoisted up by the tie himself!

With surprising strength, Gin managed to make Ichigo let go of his grip. "Huh? What are you talking about?" Gin asked while feigning innocence.

Ichigo gave the man a scowl as he replied, "Don't pretend! You were looking up their skirts weren't you?"

Gin simply waved him off as he gave Ichigo his patented I'll-get-away-with-anything smile. "Heh, nonsense! There's no way I'm that kind of guy who'd do something so lame."

Before Ichigo could continue to accuse him, the girls came up. They both asked what was going on to which Gin took this as an opportunity to shift the blame to Ichigo. "Oh, well, this dude says he got an eyeful of your panties!"

"What!" Ichigo yelled as a blush spread across his face. "I didn't see your panties! Well, I did but I wasn't actually _looking_ at th—"

SLAP!

The girls left, each one furious at the panty peeper named Ichigo. Said person was too shocked to say anything. Not only had he been outsmarted, but he had been humiliated. Curse the fact that Ichigo had never been good with the wimmenz!

"You really are a moron!" Gin said enthusiastically as he hit Ichigo on the back. "Thanks to you, today's meeting is done for."

---

Ichigo sensed something amiss. He jumped down from the tree branch and landed on the ground, Zangetsu in hand. His eyes scanned the area. He caught a shadow at the edge of his peripherals and turned his head to try and see it.

But it was gone.

Not only had it disappeared, but somehow the spiritual pressure of the shadow had vanished as well. Not knowing what else to do, Ichigo decided to head back to the dorm and try to catch as much sleep as he could. Besides, he could always look for it later.

---

Morning came and Ichigo yawned rather loudly, causing a few eyes to stare at him. But he stopped caring after a while. Let them stare, it's not like anything would happen if he yawned loudly.

As he trudged on to get to his first class, he spotted Moka. He looked at her. She looked at him, then her head twisted away. Before Ichigo knew it, she had left him in the dust. Ichigo's grip on his backpack tightened, he was going to make Gin pay… And Ichigo was entirely unaware that a malicious grin had spread across his face.

---

As he walked down the hall, he was approached by none other than Gin. "Yo Ichi-kun! Today club activities will be held outside! Why don't you come with me?" Gin asked, raising suspicion within Ichigo. But there was nothing he could do since Gin _was_ the club president… he needed hard evidence to bring down Gin. If not, he could simply kick his ass and walk away.

"Fine." Ichigo said. He knew this was a trap of some sort, but he figured he might as well go along with it. Maybe he might get a chance to achieve his revenge.

Once they were outside, Ichigo's suspicions were confirmed. Gin had led him to an alleyway of some sort. The alleyway was at the back of a building, away from the busy flow of people. "Don't you worry, everybody'll be coming soon!" Gin assured him.

"By the way, sorry about yesterday. Moka-san got majorly pissed didn't she?" Gin said with that disarming smile of his. But Ichigo would have none of it.

"Yea, she did. Why the hell did you do that for?" Ichigo demanded.

"We're here!" Gin ignored Ichigo as he stopped walking. "This is the place Ichi-kun!"

Ichigo looked around warily. He saw nothing but wall. "Here?" Ichigo asked.

"Look over there!" Gin said as he pointed towards a small rectangular window. "Why doncha take a peek inside?"

Ichigo was wary, but he decided to go along with it. If it was a trap, he'd spring it. Then he'd kick Gin's ass! As he got up on a barrel and reached for the window, he heard Gin say, "Moka-san is even better than I heard. Y'know… I really like her. She's even got me falling in love with her at first sight."

Ichigo paused and turned to face Gin, who was staring right back at Ichigo with a deadly serious look. "I'm serious. I'm going to make sure Akashiya Moka becomes my woman!"

"Eh?!" Ichigo exclaimed. Suddenly, he started hearing voices from the other side of the window. Slowly, he stretched upwards till he could see inside. What he saw… made him blush profusely. Inside were a bunch of girls changing from their uniforms to their gym clothes.

Ichigo then heard a series of clicks come from Gin's direction. Turning his head, Ichigo saw Gin holding a camera, a dark grin on his features. "Peeping is a crime Ichi-kuuuuun. And the photo evidence has been taken. If Moka-san sees this picture, she's probably going to hate you forever!"

"What! You bastard!" Ichigo yelled as his anger began to rise.

"Kya! Did you just hear a boy's voice outside?" A girl said from inside the changing room.

"You idiot, now they're going to come out and catch you!"

Angry, Ichigo lunged at Gin in hopes of taking the camera from his hands. But with unexpected swiftness, Gin had caught Ichigo by the wrist and was squeezing it with surprising strength. "If you don't want this picture getting out, keep your mouth shut about me, got it?" Gin said with a dangerous edge in his tone.

Gin then shoved Ichigo away and gave him a lazy salute along with that bright smile of his. "I'll stop at nothing to get a woman in the palm of my hand. Later Ichigo!" Ichigo's eyes widened when Gin seemed to simply disappear from few.

'_He's fast!'_ Ichigo thought.

"There he is! There's the peeper!" A girl from behind Ichigo yelled. Ichigo in turn slowly turned his head and noticed an entire mob of angry and seething girls behind him.

"Get him." One girl said and the chase began!

---

Moka had been trying to find Ichigo all day. She felt bad for having walked past him without saying good morning. Sure Ichigo looked at her panties, but it's not like it was the end of the world. Now, she simply wanted to apologize to Ichigo and wanted to listen to his side of the story.

She heard a low rumbling and noticed some dust in the distance. As the cloud grew larger, she noticed an orange blob approaching quickly. In a moment, she realized that orange blob was Ichigo's hair. Ichigo, in turn, was running away from what seemed to be a mob of angry girls. Moka could hear yelling, but couldn't make anything out of it until they got a little closer.

"Peeper! Peeper! Let's kill the peeper!" They all chanted as the mob zoomed past Moka. Ichigo had run past her too, entirely unaware of Moka's prescence.

Moka could only stand there as she pieced the pieces together. She put a hand to her chest and walked away slowly.

---

Night came and Moka was standing on top of the school's building. She honestly couldn't believe that Ichigo was a peeper… but if he wasn't, then why were all those girls chasing him and calling him a peeper? It had to be the truth! Moka sighed as she leaned against the railing, an inexplicable sadness washing over her.

"Oh! So this is where you've been Moka-san?" A voice came from behind Moka. She turned around to face Gin, who was waving and smiling at her.

"It's night already. Look, it's a beautiful full moon tonight." Gin said as he looked up at the moon, a mysterious grin spreading across his face.

"Gin… Senpai…" Moka said, unsure of what to say. What was Gin doing here?

"D'ya hear about Ichigo? It seems he got peeking and he and is now being hunted down by the girls. Are you waiting for that guy Moka-san?" Gin asked. Moka was completely unaware of Gin's intentions since she could only focus on Ichigo and his crime at the moment.

Her attention was shifted when Gin held out a picture in front of her. "I don't know who took it… but, this picture's been going around."

Moka couldn't believe her eyes as she snatched the picture from Gin's hands. The picture was of Ichigo peeking inside the girls' locker room! An arm wrapped itself around Moka, who turned and faced a grinning Gin. "Well, keep quiet about that picture to Ichi-kun. It's so pathetic. And Moka-san, just forget about a guy like that."

"Umm…" Moka was unsure of what to say. Gin was acting… strangely.

"Tonight… I'll console you." Gin said as he began leaning forward.

"Kya! No let go!" Moka screamed as she tried wriggling out of Gin's embrace.

"What? Am I not holding you tenderly?" Gin said, not letting Moka go.

"No! You just felt me up!" Moka said, feeling violated.

"Well, it is a full moon and I can't help but lose control of myself!" He said as he pointed to the moon. Then he shifted his attention back to Moka… and puckered his lips!

"So just give in to it! When I go wild, my urges just make me go crazy!" Gin said as he struggled to bring Moka closer and zero in for the kiss.

"NO! STOP!" In one supreme effort, Moka managed to break free and push Gin into a wall.

Moka held up the picture and looked at it, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't believe Ichigo would peep. So I'm waiting for him! Rather than this picture, I want to believe Ichigo!" She exclaimed as she tossed the pictures into the wind.

A strange feeling suddenly overwhelmed Moka as she looked towards Gin's general direction. She heard some chuckling coming from the cloud of dust that was obscuring her vision. "Haha… are you serious? How admirable!" Part of Gin's face was revealed… and it barely resembled the friendly looking expression Gin always wore. Instead, it was almost sadistic and taunting. His eyes gleamed with a predatory look.

"I'm falling harder and harder for you Moka-san…" He got up slowly and deliberately. He brought out his arm slightly in front of him and clenched his fist tightly. "But I told ya… right? That on nights with a full moon, my self control _weakens_!"

The air around Gin flared and spiraled around him. "S-Sempai?" Moka asked with fright as she saw Gin's hands turn into claws, his body become more bulky as fur began to cover his body.

"I'LL MAKE YOU MY WOMAN BY FORCE AKASHIYA MOKA!" Gin howled as he towered over Moka. His hand reached closer and closer to Moka, who could only cower in fear from the werewolf's fierce aura.

"Get away from her."

The werewolf turned around and snarled as it recognized that face. "WHAT… WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"Easy, I'm going to kick your ass and make you tell the truth." Ichigo's serious eyes made the werewolf's blood boil. Who did this kid think he was?

Gin could feel his anger, his rage, his wrath swirl within him. It begged for revenge. And so he obliged. "DAMN! HOW DARE YOU GET IN THE WAY OF OUR SPECIAL MOMENT!"

Ichigo noticed a high spike in Gin's reiatsu as the wind began blowing fiercely around them. "BACK OFF!" Gin yelled in rage.

Ichigo already had Zangetsu in hand and was ready to fight. He stared intently at the werewolf, whose whole body surged with great power. Those teeth… they could easily tear the flesh off of Ichigo. There was a moment of silence as two stared at each other. Then in the blink of an eye, Gin was attacking Ichigo from behind.

Ichigo turned around and barely managed to raise his sword in time to block. He was left unbalanced as Gin disappeared again and swept Ichigo's feet from underneath him. He was tossed on his back, but he quickly rolled out of the way from a powerful kick that shattered the concrete where Ichigo had been.

"DON'T EVEN THINK YOU HAVE A CHANCE IDIOT!" Gin taunted as he disappeared and reappeared from view. Now he was standing atop of a small bell tower, looking down on Ichigo.

"ON THE NIGHT OF A FULL MOON, A WEREFOWLF IS INVINCIBLE!" Gin's voice resonated with victory as he leapt into the air and dived down towards Ichigo, claws extended and maw snapping.

But he never once came close to Ichigo as he was suddenly blown away by a massive wave of energy. Gin grunted as he landed, and turned vicious eyes towards Ichigo who seemed to be standing there, looking at him as if he were bored.

"So speed is your strong suit?" Ichigo asked, a chilly tone in his voice. "Then I'll fight you with speed."

Ichigo extended Zangetsu forward, blade tip pointing at Gin. He put his left hand over his wrist as he summoned a large amount of reiatsu. Practically glowing, he uttered one word.

"Bankai."

An explosion of blueish white light blinded everyone in the area. Following that, a pressure filled the area. It beared down upon Moka, making her collapse to the floor. She felt like her lungs were being squeezed and she couldn't draw in any air. And Gin, despite his werewolf form, was having trouble breathing as well. But he was still standing… barely.

Suddenly, the pressure and light went away. Form the dust emerged Ichigo, who now held Tensa Zangetsu. It's black luster shined beneath the moonlight. The chain at the end, despite its innocent rattle, somehow struck fear within Gin. Nevertheless, he stood his ground and prepared to face Ichigo again. One again, they were facing each other, both waiting for someone to make the first move.

Gin blinked. By the time his eye opened he was already facing the point of Ichigo's sword. Now Gin was panicking. Even _he_ left a trail of dust, a shadow, _something_! This new speed… it was incomprehensible.

Gin saw Ichigo smirk and he felt like he was about to shit his pants. "Do you want speed werewolf? I'll show you speed!"

Gin's eyes grew wide as Ichigo disappeared from view, then reappeared along with several copies. Gin snarled, this must be some sort of trick. No being could be _that_ fast! With a growl, he launched at two of the Ichigo's… and was pushed back by both.

"What's the matter?" Ichigo's voice resounded around Gin, making it seem as if Ichigo was talking from every direction. "I thought you wanted a fight?"

Gin finally realized that he was in trouble. This… this power, it was at a completely different level. What kind of monster could Ichigo be? So far, none of the monsters he knew could overpower a vampire or a werewolf so easily. Suddenly, another wave of overwhelming power caused Gin to fall to his knees. Opening his eyes, he could even see the power disturbing the air, causing ripples and arcs of electricity to trace the sky.

"Yo Ichigo!"

"Kenpachi!" Ichigo yelled as he saw the tall figure tower over him, a devil of a grin on his face.

"I didn't know who you were having a sparring match." Kenpachi said as he looked at toward the kneeling werewolf.

When Gin had connected with Kenpachi's eye, a sudden fear resounded within his heart. Everything faded from view except this maniacal man. His grin, his stance, his aura; everything radiated death. Behind him, he could see the man's power. An ill yellow energy that took shape of a skull behind him.

Suddenly, the man was gone. A large shadow loomed over Gin and he slowly turned his head to face the grinning maniac. "You don't mind if I spar with Ichigo do you?"

Gin simply shook his head and the man's grin grew even wider. "Good." He disappeared again and the next thing Gin heard was the clash of swords.

Moka, the entire time, had been worried of Ichigo's sake. But when he had transformed, it had completely baffled her. The amount of raw power he exhumed simply overwhelmed her. No doubt even her vampire side would've had some trouble standing up. She had been relieved that Ichigo would be ok, but when this other man came and challenged Ichigo, her worry rose once again. Now, it seemed Ichigo and this man were dueling it out.

"Come on Ichigo! You can do better than this!" Kenpachi yelled as he brought his sword down as if to slice Ichigo in half. Ichigo dodged to the left… bad idea. Ichigo should've just blocked because now, the entire floor beneath them was collapsing from the sheer force of Kenpachi's blow. When the ground gave way, both fighters leapt high into the air and stood on the coalesced particles of reiatsu.

Then Ichigo realized something… Moka couldn't fly. "Kyaaa!" Ichigo turned his head to see Moka falling through the floor. He was about to turn to try and rescue her before his reflexes blocked a blow from Kenpachi.

"Where are you going?" Kenpachi asked, his grin never fading.

"Let me go! I have to help her!" Ichigo said as he somehow managed to push back the beast in front of him.

"Tch. It looks like she's fine to me." Kenpachi said as he nodded his head towards Moka. Ichigo turned to face Moka and was surprised at seeing Moka lifted into the air by one Kurono Kurumu.

Relieved, Ichigo turned to face Kenpachi with Zangetsu held out in front of him. "Fine Kenpachi, I'll spar with you."

A flare of reiatsu was Kenpachi's response as he lunged at Ichigo with an earnest desire for violence.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**So… there you go!**


	5. Witch

Moka and Kurumu had to create distance between them and the fight. The intensity of the fight made it hard to breathe. Thankfully though, Ichigo had managed to move the fight to a more discreet location all without letting Kenpanchi know. It would be a bad idea for anyone else to know their identities as Soul Reapers.

"My destined one is amazing…" Kurumu spoke as she hugged herself. _This_ was the kind of man she needed. Strong, powerful, good… she wanted him…_ all_ of him.

"He's _not_ you're destined one," Moka said as she sent a heated glare towards Kurumu, "But he really is amazing."

They continued staring at the fight, watching as Ichigo and Kenpachi exchanged blows. Suddenly the girls gasped as Kenpachi's sword looked like it was going to cut Ichigo in half. But Ichigo had actually blocked the blow with his arm… which truly surprised the girls, not that they already weren't. Then they saw as Ichigo brought his own sword to slice the Kenpachi's stomach… but the sword just grinded against the tough skim harmlessly.

"What kind of monsters do you think Ichigo and that man are?" Kurumu asked, before she grunted as a large gust of wind swept by. Even from this distance, their power was still felt.

"I don't know… but they're definitely stronger than me in my vampire form." Moka replied as she looked on with earnest fascination. Her heart and mind, despite the chaos, felt strangely at peace. And if she had looked down, she would've seen her Rosario glowing…

---

"Excellent Ichigo, but you can do better than this!" Kenpachi yelled before lunging forward at Ichigo. He swung his sword, aiming to slice of Ichigo's head. But Ichigo disappeared from view in a burst of speed and reappeared to the left of Kenpachi. Kenpachi simply grinned as he grabbed Zangetsu with his left hand, temporarily stunning Ichigo. With a yank, he brought Ichigo in front of him and twisted his sword into position in order to impale Ichigo. The sword… hit its mark.

But no damage was done.

"You're right," Ichigo's voice suddenly took a darker, more twisted turn. His voice seemed to hold its own echo and sounded like two people were talking, trying to overlap each other. Kenpachi looked up in time to see Ichigo finish putting on his mask, his yellow eyes gleaming ominously against the black sclera. "I _can_ do better."

Kenpachi was, for the lack of a better term, thoroughly excited. Ichigo was finally fighting him back, earnestly. His sword shook from the excitement and his grin turned even more maniacal… _this_ was what he had been waiting for! A burning sensation dashed across his chest and Kenpachi's vision was filled with blood… _his_ blood.

"I think I'm actually going to have fun for once!" He yelled as he swung his sword wildly at Ichigo, who simply blocked it with his arm. Before Kenpachi knew it, he received a slash to his side and was bleeding heavily. This did not, however, make the grin on his face fade.

"I'm not gonna get us noticed so I'm ending this quickly." Ichigo said as he began to draw upon an enormous amount of reiatsu. The dark energy circled around his sword and collected energy, waiting to be released. Ichigo raised his sword and his eyes caught the ever grinning face of Kenpachi. Ichigo narrowed his eyes as and prepared to launch his attack.

"Getsuga Tenshou"

---

Moka collapsed to her knees, but Kurumu didn't notice since she was entranced by the sight before her. Ichigo had launched an attack that looked like a shadow from this distance towards the man. It had engulfed him completely and the winds tore across the land from the amount of energy released. Kurumu was falling in love with Ichigo more and more as time passed by.

On the other hand, Moka was feeling and receiving the energy slightly differently. Her Rosario was now glowing a bright red. For reasons she couldn't fathom, warmth had spread throughout her body, causing her to blush. Her skin was sensitized, and ever time her clothes rubbed against her, a pleasurable tingle spread, like a raindrop hitting a body of water. She held herself as the urge to be with Ichigo increased significantly. Her breath was hot and her mind felt like it was growing distant. Then, with an unheard clink, her Rosario unfastened itself.

---

"Sorry about this Kenpachi." Ichigo said as he lugged Kenpachi over his shoulders, "Didn't mean to go overboard, but it is your fault for getting _him_ excited as well."

He placed Kenpachi on the ground, away from the school buildings and any other public place. He looked at Kenpachi and noticed his body covered in burns and gashes. Pieces of his skin were even torn away, revealing muscle. But this was Kenpachi and everyone knew he lived for this kind of stuff so he would be fine… hopefully. Ichigo decided to take off Kenpachi's eye patch, deciding that the extra reiatsu could help with the healing. He took off his hollow mask and sighed. Ever since they made that agreement, he would find himself losing to the heat of the battle when he used that mask. But at least technically he did have more control… _technically_.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." Came a feminine, but distinctly strong voice from behind Ichigo.

Ichigo turned his head around, and came to face with… "Moka?" He asked, unsure of why she looked so… different.

"What kind of monster are you?" The new Moka ignored Ichigo's question and stated her question directly. Her tone had been demanding, wanting an answer. But her eye… it held something else. And her stance, it radiated confidence and strength, like she knew she was superior to everything else.

"I can't tell you." Ichigo said. He was still on a mission, and if he revealed who or what he was, it might put him in jeopardy… not that the fight hadn't already gotten the attention of probably many others, but at least they hadn't _seen_ him.

"Why not?" She asked again with direct intent. Her eyes we unnerving and he felt like this wasn't going to go anywhere if he didn't do anything about it.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't."

"Then I'm going to have to make you tell me by force." Ichigo had not been expecting an attack and was caught by surprised when a heel connected with his face, sending him through a tree.

Moka looked at the damage and scoffed. Guess he hadn't been so strong.

"You know, you didn't need to kick me." Moka turned around, her eyes widening ever so slightly when she found Ichigo standing behind her rubbing his cheek.

"One should know their place. You did not answer me, therefore I had to take action." Moka said cooly, masking her surprise with a look of slight contempt.

"You do realize I could kill you?" Ichigo said… then blinked. He wanted to kick himself for saying such a thing. This was always the effect of wearing the mask after the agreement.

But this new Moka simply gave him an amused look. "You certainly have courage, I'll give you that. Threatening a vampire, of all the foolish things! You should know your place when talking to your superior." She said haughtily.

Ichigo, despite wanting to diffuse the situation, felt a certain need to smack this new Moka. His annoyance registered on his face as his eyebrow twitched. She was like Uryuu… except ten times worse!

"So are you going to tell me or am I going to have to force it out of you?" Her arms were crossed over her supple bosom, which Ichigo couldn't help but notice since it looked like they were going to pop from her shirt.

This new Moka was by no means unaware of anything that went around her. She could tell he was eyeing her, and decided to she would use this to her advantage. Truthfully, she was sure he was beneath her… but for him to survive a kick that strong and not even seem fazed by it seemed he did possess some strength. She was… intrigued by him. Especially that dark power which somehow had forced the chain to unlock. She remembered that one of two conditions that needed to be fulfilled for her to be freed of the Rosario, but her father never told her what they were.

But that was of no importance. What mattered now was getting Ichigo to tell her what kind of monster he was. So she approached him, a slight sway in her hips. She made sure to have him looking into her eyes. Very rarely do people, or monsters, pull away from a vampire's look. They're always entranced by a vampire's look, which though not as effective as a Succubus' charm, still has a potent effect.

Before Ichigo realized it, Moka had somehow gotten inside his guard. She was so close to him that he could feel her breath tickle the hairs on his neck. It felt… oddly pleasant. Then, he felt a warm hand caress his neck, sending a small shiver down his spine.

"No wonder the other Moka liked you so much." She said as she leaned in, inhaling Ichigo's sweet scent. "You smell… wonderful."

She then bit down, but unlike the other times Ichigo had felt absolutely nothing this time around. It was almost a gratifying sensation to have his blood sucked out. But he noticed something… she was taking too much blood. He tried to gently push her away, but this Moka latched on ferociously and now proceeded to drain him of his blood as quickly as possible. Ichigo could already feel his strength diminish greatly as she struggled. Even though he was still in Bankai he could not come up with enough strength to free himself.

"_Keh. Guess there's no helping it if my landlord is about to croak."_

Ichigo's eyes widened when felt his arm grab Moka by the neck and toss her aside. She crashed into a tree, making a dent in it. Ichigo looked at his arm, which crackled with malevolent dark energy. It surged like electricity around his arm, giving off a low pitched crackling sound. Then that dark energy left him and he collapsed to the ground.

"Interesting." Ichigo saw Moka standing directly over him. She was clenching and unclenching her fists, almost as if she was testing something out. "I drained you of not only your blood, but of your strength as well."

Ichigo suddenly gasped as Moka rammed her foot into his gut, driving Ichigo into the ground slightly as spider web cracks spread from the point of impact.

"Now tell me, what kind of monster are you?" Moka demanded once again. But this time, her voice was more harsh. Her voice didn't hold any semblance of politeness and was replaced by an indifferent cool, hard undertone.

"Let go of him!"

Ichigo turned his head as best he could and was surprised to find Kurumu gliding towards them. Her nails were fully out and were aimed at Moka, aiming to harm her for harming her destined one! She dove in low, preparing to slice Moka…

But Moka was gone from view and Kurumu looked every which way to try to find her. Then, she felt a painful tug on her tail as she was slammed into the ground, making a five foot crater. Her back was badly damaged her head throbbed in pain.

"So this is the little Succubus?" Moka looked at Kurumu with a look that made her feel sick and angry at the same time. She felt cornered, like a mouse that is being played with by a cat.

Kurumu cried out in pain when Moka stomped on her tail. The pain… it burned through her spine and made her eyes water. She didn't even scream after the initial shock since she her body was too busy writhing. But she would not be granted a reprieve. Instead, Moka continued her torment as she stepped Kurumu's stomach and grabbed her wings.

"Why don't I tear off this tail and those wings so you never fly again." Moka said, blood thirst rolling off her in waves. She grabbed a hold of each wing… and proceeded to pull them away from Kurumu, who cried in agony as she was unable to stop Moka.

But then she stopped her torment when she felt a sudden spike in power come from behind her. She smirked. "So you finally decided to show your true power?" She said as she looked at Kurumu once more before letting go of her wings.

She turned around, only to feel the sharp edge of a blade pressing against her neck. She had to pause… this energy had something else to it. It wasn't just dark… it was… crazed, malevolent… and happy? Whatever it was, it sent chills down her spine… but they were pleasant chills.

"You better stop this." Ichigo panted slightly through his hollow mask. But there was no reply. Instead, Moka was looking into his eyes… fascinated… and was that a blush on her cheeks?

"Fine. I'm still groggy from waking up." She held up a Rosario and before she placed it on her chain, she said, "Take care of the other Moka… I will be back." Soon the Rosario was in place and her demonic energies were sealed and all that was left was a pink-haird Moka who collapsed into Ichigo's arms. Ichigo could only sigh in relief as he put his hand over his mask and willed the thing away. Moka was cradled in his arms and Kurumu lay in her crater, passed out. Ichigo vaguely wondered if every day was going to be like this…..

---

Time passed and the mid-term test scores were posted for all to see. Many of the students cheered while a great deal of others wept openly at their pathetic scores. Many of these monsters will go on to the human world to do business or universities.

Akashiya Moka strolled up to the postings and looked carefully for her name. She sighed in relief when she found herself in 13th place in the listings. Many others took notice of this, especially the male population and proceeded to shower her in praise.

"Awesome! Its says Moka-san is 13th!"

"Not only is she the most beautiful girl at the academy, but she's smart too! And she has a good personality and isn't stuck up!"

"SHE'S PERFECT!!!"

"SHE'S THE NUMBER 1 IDEAL GIRL." At this point, Moka was beginning to get slightly worried when the boys began surrounding her… all having hearts in their eyes, drooling, or a balance of both.

"Yo Moka." Said person turned to find Ichigo casually walking towards her. He stopped next to her and looked at the posted scores. Moka too turned and looked for Ichigo's name and when she did, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow Ichigo! You're in 10th place!" Moka said in amazement. Truthfully, she thought Ichigo was one of those slackers who never did any studying. He _really_ didn't look like the kid who'd put any effort into his studies.

"Yea." Ichigo said nonchalantly. He didn't like boasting his scores in front of everyone, what would be the point?

"You shoulda told me you studied so hard… then we could've studied and gotten even higher on the mid-terms!" She pouted as she took hold of Ichigo's arm.

"Yea well…" Ichigo didn't know what he could say. That he was out looking for hollows? That he was actually on a mission from heaven/Soul Society? That he had actually already died more times than he cared for?

But not far off in the distance, a little girl stood staring at the pink-haired Moka. Her eyes shined with adoration and nervousness as she looked upon her idol. She never worked the courage to come up and talk to her… she was afraid she might think of her as some half breed like the rest of the monsters did.

"Congratulations Yukari-san. It looks like you're number 1 again!" The girl known as Yukari was pulled away from her thoughts as she turned to face the person who was speaking.

"Just as I'd expect from the girl genius. Even though you're just 11, it seems you didn't get to skip ahead to high school for nothing." The man grinned as he took another step closer to Yukari.

"But listen up; please don't get all high and mighty," The man said with a sneer in his voice, "because in my eyes, you're nothing but an immature brat who reeks of her mother's milk."

"Class representative?" Yukari tentatively asked, wondering what was going on. Suddenly she was pushed back by a smack to the forehead and she gave a small yelp.

"And what's the big idea with this outfit?" The class representative asked as he kept messing with Yukari. "It completely defies the school rules. I despise people who stick out!"

"Kya! Pl… Please stop thaaat!" Yukari whined as she kept being taunted.

"As the class representative, your very existence gives me a headache…" His voice was menacing and the grin on his face was far from pleasant. Then, he leaned forward and spoke directly to her face, "After all, your true form is a witch is it not? How disgusting! I feel like vomiting, just thinking that you're in the same grade as me."

Yukari was finally getting tired of being degraded, so she pulled out her wand and did a simple trick. A pebble floated in mid-air, unbeknownst to the bully before it hit him on the back of the head. "Ah, haha! You deserved that!" Yukari laughed triumphantly when the bully staggered.

"Hey! What the hell'd you just do to me?" The enraged class representative yelled.

"Stop!" Yukari's eyes widened in surprise when someone came between her and the class representative. To Yukar's delightful surprise, it was none other than Moka, the girl whom she'd admired! She was actually _defending_ her!

"I'm sorry I don't have anything to do with this, but I can't let this go… please stop using violence towards girls!" Moka exclaimed.

There were whispers throughout the crowd at Moka's action. Most couldn't believe that someone had actually stood up for the little witch, let alone a beautiful vampire like Moka. Ichigo himself didn't say anything as he simply looked on. At the first hint of trouble, he'd jump in… but it seemed the bullies were stepping away.

"You had better remember this Yukari!" The class representative threatened before turning to his pals, "Let's go guys!"

---

"Oh, thank you soooo much! You really saved me!" Yukari said, brimming with happiness and praise. "My name is Sendou Yukari!"

Moka smiled before replying, "I heard that even though you're in the same grade as us, you're only 11? And even ranked first?"

The girl beamed at Moka's praise, and was overwhelmed when the praise kept coming from Moka as she continued, "You're really smart, aren't you Yukari-chan? And that outfit is also really cool!"

Flustered, Yukari began waving her hands about, denying and accepting the praise from Moka. "No, well… cool is such a… I mean I'm not… I'm just…!" She said with a small blush on her cheeks.

Suddenly, Yukari seemed collected herself as she said in a less enthusiastic, but equally heart-filled tone, "You're the one who's cool and pretty Moka-san. You know, actually I…"

To the surprise of Ichigo and Moka, Yukari suddenly threw herself in Moka's arms before giddily yelling, "I wuvvv you Moka-san!!!"

Ichigo's eyes widened a bit at the sudden confession, but Yukari paid no heed and continued, "Everytime I saw you in that classroom across the hall, I fell in love with you a bit more. But after you saved my life, my heart was made up!" She spoke honestly and truthfully.

But Yukari noticed the shocked and confused look on Moka's face and felt she had gone too far… but she wouldn't simply just give up! "Please go out with me! Is that so bad, dating someone like me?"

Unsure of what to say, Moka replied in an unsteady tone, "Err… umm, as a friend… I gue—"

"Yaaay! I'm so happy!" Yukari cheered as she placed her face in between Moka's breasts.

Ichigo could only look on in… well… he simply just looked on…

---

"Wow! Moka-san's chest is even bigger than it looks!" Yukari giddily said as she ran her small fingers around Moka's breasts. "It's soooo soft! Just like a dream!"

"Stop…" Moka begged as her face flushed, "For some reason, I can't move!"

"Oi oi OI! What the hell do you think you're doing!" Ichigo yelled at them when the girls fell to the floor in a rather… questioning position.

Suddenly, Yukari stood up and pointed a finger at Ichigo. "Please don't get in our way! I know all about you!" Feeling brave with Moka around, she marched right up to Ichigo and told him her thoughts, "You and Moka-san are like a snapping turtle and the moon! You're waaaay too different!"

"Kurosaki Ichigo, though you may be one of the smartest people around, are hardly a friendly person. You frequently got into fights in your other school, skipped classes, and were always getting into all sorts of trouble! Moka-san shouldn't be around a delinquent like you!"

She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded her head. "I love Moka-san! So I don't want my beautiful Moka-san to be brought down into the dirt by someone like you." She finished with a blush across her young face as she took a peek over her shoulder at said person.

Out of nowhere, she pulled out a wand and said, "That's why I'm declaring war on you with my magical wand!" She suddenly waved it around, which opened a door from somewhere in the hallway. All sorts of objects began levitating above Ichigo's head, who looked on in confusion. "I'll make sure you never come close to Moka-san ever again!"

The brooms, totaling around four, suddenly rushed down to ichigo with speed. Ichigo simply stood there and let one of the brooms hit him directly in the face… this wasn't to say he wasn't annoyed. On the contrary, he wanted to do nothing more than use Getsuga Tenshou on the girl… but that would be wrong.

So Ichigo swallowed his anger and asked, "What… are you… doing?"

"It's magic!" Yukari exclaimed, "I used magic with this magical wand in order to control the brooms! Cuz I'm a witch and I'll fight off any boys that get close to Moka-san!" She declared with the energy expected from a child her age.

Ichigo could only look on with annoyance etched on his face. What could he do?

---

"Sendou Yukari?" Kurumu said the name as she peeled off a 'curse' seal from Ichigo's forehead with tweezers.

"Yea… She's getting on my nerves." Said a silently fuming Ichigo. "When we have projects that I need to work on with Moka, I can't even speak to her without Yukari butting in and doing something weird!"

'_Yahoo! Thanks to her, I'm alone with Ichigo! Thank you Yukari Sendou Yukari!'_ Kurumu thought as her heart filled with happiness.

Then she leaned in towards Ichigo as she told him, "I've heard rumors about that girl too! Even though she's called a girl genius or whatever, it sounds like she's still a selfish kid who plays pranks on others."

Unbeknownst to Kurumu and Ichigo, the subject of their conversation was standing outside, listening through the window sine they're club was on the first floor. Feeling resolved, she pulled out a doll made of straw and exclaimed, "I'll totally destroy the closeness between Moka-san and Ichigo for good! Magical item Warawara-kun!"

Tentatively, she tested the doll out. For the first test, she moved the doll's arm and made its hand hit its face.

"Ichigo!" Yukari heard. That meant her voodoo doll was a success!

Inside, mayhem was sitting in its throne as Ichigo's arms swayed every which way, knocking over stuff, hitting himself, and even groping Kurumu (to which Kurumu didn't really mind). In fact, now she felt truly thankful towards the little witch. She had secretly longed for him to touch her in this way… and now it was happening if indirectly.

The door to the classroom then opened, revealing a certain pink-haired vampire. "Sorry for being late to the club!" She said before stopping and taking in the scene in front of her. Ichigo was fondling Kurumu's breasts while Kurumu tried to get away from him (yea right).

"I'm not doing this! Something's wrong with my body!" Ichigo yelled. Suddenly, his hand moved of its own accord and flicked Kurumu's skirt upwards, revealing yellow panties.

"Eyaaaa!" She screeched. Just outside the window, Yukari was quietly giggling to herself at her triumph.

---

"That's it! Moka, do something about her! Make her stop doing all these stupid things!" Ichigo's frustrated voice rang loudly in the empty hallway. And Yukari's taunts weren't helping any since he couldn't do anything about it while she was behind Moka.

Moka felt like she was stuck in an awkward situation. On one hand, she could tell Yukari's pranks did seem to go a little bit too far. On the other hand, Yukari was just a little girl and didn't really know what she was doing. Couldn't Ichigo see that she was just looking for attention?

"Ichigo… let's calm down." She spoke as she tried to placate the angered substitute shinigami.

"No, you're going too easy on her Moka! She's not just bothering me, she's bothering everyone else! Look at what she made me do to Kurumu!" Ichigo retorted.

"I… suppose… but…"

When Yukari heard those words, she began to feel hurt. Was she a bother to Moka as well? She gripped her wand tightly, not wanting to face to facts. She was sure Moka would defend her, just like the time she did with the men from earlier. After all, Moka was not only pretty, but kind and understanding. Yea… Moka would surely defend her!

But when Moka didn't speak up to defend her, the hurt came back. Maybe… she really was just bothering Moka-san. "I've always been alone…" Yukari spoke dejectedly.

Those sudden words made Ichigo and Moka pause… especially Ichigo. He felt guilty now and felt like he should apologize. He walked over to Yukari and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yukari…"

Just then, a giant pot fell from out of nowhere and hit Ichigo in the back of his head. "Ahahaha! Gotcha! Gotcha!" Yukari yelled in triumph. She shook her arms every which way, spinning, enjoying her victory.

"That's… IT!" Ichigo said as he gave chase to Yukari, who was now currently running away from him. But he was stopped by Moka, who placed herself in between them.

"Wait! It's awful for you to be mad at her Ichigo!" She exclaimed, her eyes holding ever the slightest hint of anger.

"What are you getting mad at me for?" Ichigo said as he backed up a bit. He was scowling, that little trick had been far from justified, so why was Moka getting mad at him? But then again… he had been getting a little bit… crazier after the agreement between him and his hollow. But he sighed… he knew he would have to apologize to Yukari.

---

Yukari ran, and ran… she ran out the doors, around the building, away from everyone. Faces of people from both human and monster schools came to mind, each of them taunting and uncaring. Both humans and monsters despised her for what she was, a witch.

She gave a sad smile as she continued to run. "I don't mind… being alone." She spoke to no one other than herself. As she continued to run, she failed to see the people in front of her and bumped into them.

"Oww, stupid! Why don't you look where you're going?" Yukari said as she rubbed her forehead.

"You're the one that bumped into me Yukari-san." Yukari's eyes widened as she looked up, recognizing that voice, "How rude, you're a damn shame to the academy."

"Class representative…?" A tingle of terror rode down her spine as the man in front of her bent over to see her eye to eye.

"Remember when you disgraced me in front of all those students earlier? I'll never forgive you for that!" Suddenly, his skin started peeling away, replaced by dry, thick scales. A long forked tongue jutted out as it tasted the air. "I've been waiting to get you alone."

---

"We have to go get her Ichigo! Don't you feel sorry for her?" Moka pleaded with the Shinigami.

Ichigo thought about it for a moment. Then he sighed. He remembered his own past and knew what it felt like to be lonely. What Yukari needed more than ever was simply someone who cared for her. "Fine… let's go get her."

Moka's eyes brightened as she gave a bright smile. "Thank you so much Ichigo! C'mon!" She said as she took Ichigo's hand and pulled him along.

---

Yukari took a few steps back in fright. Thinking about her options, she quickly pulled out her wand only to have it eaten by one of the lizard men. Razor sharp teeth tore her wand apart like it was nothing. In fact, the lizard who ate it was now using it as a toothpick.

"What should we do to her?" The leader asked to his cohorts.

"Let's eat her up!" One suggested, "The fog is so thick so no one will ever know!"

Yukari continued taking steps backwards. Without her wand, she was defenseless! But her actions didn't go unnoticed as the leader took her up in one of his clawed hands and picked her up. "That sounds good! We should eat her up!" He said as he opened his mouth, ready to eat his meal.

"Stop it! Get your hands off Yukari-chan!"

The lizard men all stopped and turned around. Tongues flicked in and out of scaly mouths as they recognized the girl from earlier. "Damn, it's you Akashiya Moka-san! You've caught us at a bothersome time..." The leader said as he eyed the pink-haired vampire with malicious intent.

"Run! Moka-san!" Yukari yelled past the lizard men, "Or you'll be eaten! Forget about me and run!"

"No one's going to get eaten while I'm around." Yukari's eyes widened as she whipped around. Ichigo looked past her at the lizard men with his obscenely large green backpack 'standing' in front of him, a handle poking out the top end.

"Who the hell are you?" The leader asked as his tail swung back and forth, his body posed and ready to attack.

Ichigo grabbed the handle and pointed the backpack at the leader and said, "The one who's going to kick your ass!"

The leader hissed, signaling the others to form up behind him. Ichigo simply stared at them, challenging them. Catching the challenge, they all launched towards Ichigo at once! As they got closer and closer, Yukari began to panic, fearing Ichigo would get harmed. But then he raised and held the backpack horizontally.

"Getsuga…" Ichigo uttered as he began his swing. "Tenshou!"

A large, blinding light filled the lizard mens' vision. When the light hit, their breath was knocked and they were thrown far away. When they finally hit ground, they were already unconsciousness and their bodies were singed. Ichigo wondered if he should've held back more.

"Why…"

Ichigo's attention was shifted when he turned to his side and faced Yukari, who was sitting on the floor looking sad. "After I've done such horrible things to you. Why. Why did you come for someone like me?"

Ichigo sighed as he let out of breath of air. "Let's just say I get what you're feeling. We're your friends now so don't be sad, got it?"

Yukari looked on at Ichigo and a new light as her heart was moved by Ichigo's words. "You..." She stuttered as her eyes moistened, "Umm.. fa…hm…"

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaa!" Ichigo had to take a step back when Yukari let out a monster of a wail. Tears freely streamed down her childish face… but they were tears of happiness. After the initial shock, Ichigo let a small smile play across his face.

---

"I heard she apologized in front of her whole class for playing pranks all the time!" Moka chattered away excitedly to Kurumu as they carried supplies for the club.

"It sounds like everyone's mood has become a bit more thoughtful. And she's getting more sociable bit by bit." Kurumu said.

"That's great, Yukari-chan is really growing up!" Moka said as she opened the door. Both Kurumu and Moka blinked as they saw what was transpiring.

"Ichigo! I wuvv you!" Yukari said as she leaped into Ichigo's arms.

"Wha…?" All three thought at the same time.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Well, finally has the next chapter up. Enjoy!**


	6. Birthday

Ichigo was nodding off. Why did the sunlight have to be so warm and cozy? Maybe… if he just laid his head down for a minute he'd be okay. So that's what he did and placed his head sideways and closed his eyes… and drifted off…

"Ichigo!" Tsukune called out to the sleeping Shinigami. Currently they were supposed to be posting pictures or making a collage of some sort.

"Mmmff…"

Tsukune was about to call out again, but the Gin came up and slammed the back of Ichigo's head with a paddle. The orange-head clutched the back of his head as tears welled up at the corner of his eyes.

"What the hell was that for?" The enraged teen yelled out.

Gin merely smiled as he replied, "It's club time!"

Both Ichigo and Tsukune sweat-dropped when Gin then proceeded to flirt with Moka. "Oh Moka-san!" He spoke with 'genuine' interest, "What's this? Are you paintin' a picture or something? That book's an art textbook ain't it?"

In a fit of nervousness that was uncharacteristic of Moka, she grabbed the book and hid it underneath the desk she was sitting in. "N…No it isn't, this is just…" She tried to explain, but she was cut off as Gin continued to compliment her.

"Heh, you're looking hot as ever today Moka-san." He said with a bright, shiny smile before he added in smoothly, "I really love ya baby!"

Suddenly, Gin was encased in a block of ice. "He shouldn't be so direct…" Mizore said as she took out the lollipop from her mouth.

"Mizore-chan! You can't just go and freeze people!" Tsukune exclaimed, causing Mizore to bow her head in shame.

'S-Sorry Tsukune-kun." Mizore apologized. A warm and tender hand placed itself on her shoulder, causing her to look up with a blush on her face.

"It's alright, just don't do it again okay?" Tsukune said gently as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Tsukune-kun." Mizore's eyes shimmered as she looked at Tsukune's own chocolate brown eyes.

"Mizore-chan…"

"Tsukune-kun…"

"Mizore-chan…"

Before anymore of the face-to-face could continue, it was interrupted by the door being slammed open, revealing an excited and bubbly Kurumu. "Ichigo!" She called out the Soul Reaper's name, to which he looked at her in confusion. Before he could ask what was so urgent, he got engulfed in a hug by Kurumu, who pressed her chest against his.

"Yeah! Another day of being in the club with you!" She said as she pressed her face against his chest, sighing contentedly. "I love you Ichigo!"

"Waaaaait just a minute!" A voice quipped. Ichigo turned his head and the first thing he noticed was a wand… then a hat… then Yukari.

A dust pan suddenly materialized above Kurumu's head and landed with a 'THUNK' on her head. Equally, an entire desk fell on Gin's head. "I won't let anyone get away with putting their hands on Ichigo and Moka-san!" Little Yukari quipped in her childish voice, "I'll fight anyone off with magic because I wuv them both!"

With the desk still on his head… or rather his head in the desk, Gin asked, "Who's she? A witch?"

Moka enlightened the unfortunate werewolf as she replied, "She's the new club member, Yukari-chan—a girl genius!"

"Owwie Ichigo!" Kurumu complained as she still held onto Ichigo. "Can you kiss my lips to make it feel better?"

Ichigo could only sweatdrop. _'Can't believe it's so easy for them to say stuff like that…'_

_---_

"I'll see you later Ichigo!" Moka waved to Ichigo, "See you tomorrow."

Ichigo gave her an odd stare, but shrugged. Usually they would go home together at the end of the day since they lived close to each other. "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then."

As Ichigo walked away, Moka was a little bit disheartened. He didn't even question why she wouldn't be walking home with him. She pulled out a book from her coat pocket and looked at it. She was taking these lessons for Ichigo, for his upcoming birthday. With a sad smile, she clutched the book close to her chest and walked away.

---

Ichigo dashed across the school, using Shunpo when needed. He had just felt a spike in reiatsu just a little after he left Moka. It wasn't big, but it was noticeable to the Shinigami. It was the same feeling he got when he saw a monster show its true form. Ichigo felt the reiatsu weaken and he pushed himself to reach it in time. But it was too late, the signature had disappeared. Ichigo cursed, but decided to wait a bit in case it came back. So he waited, and waited, and waited and when nothing happened, he decided to go back home. At that moment was when he saw something interesting. He saw Moka walk into an art building, book in hand.

'_Didn't think she was into painting.' _Ichigo thought to himself. Then, he took one last sweep of the area and left.

---

Everyone sat in silence. No one knew what made Gin so serious today. But they looked on as he wrote on the board: Disappearance. "Everyone, we have some news. The 'missing girls' problem!"

"Missing girls?" Tsukune asked as he cast a sideways glance to Mizore, who caught this glance and had the grace to blush.

"Exactly! Several female students have vanished without a trace lately, one after another…" Gin looked at them. His eyes were sharp and focused. "Seven in just one month. It's not that unusual for people to go missing here, but don't you think these numbers are unusual?" His voice held a grave urgency in it, almost as if he was being hurt directly by the disappearances.

But his tone became lighter as he hoisted up a paper with names and pictures on it. "I've collected some basic information on the missing girls." He slammed the paper on the desk, startling everyone. "We're going to find out the facts on this incident."

Ichigo however, was thinking about something else. That mysterious reiatsu from yesterday was still a mystery to him, but what if it was connected to these disappearances? He took a piece of paper that was handed to him by Gin. He looked at the paper and studied it. Maybe a monster was abducting these girls? Whatever it was, he would get to the bottom of it.

Still in his serious character, Gin continued speaking. "As you can see from these pictures, the girls that have disappeared are pretty hot! If someone is holding them hostage, I wanna save them somehow."

Ichigo and Tsukune sweatdropped. So that was Gin's attention? No wonder he seemed so… serious… if that's what you'd call it.

"He's just a perverted wolf isn't he?" Tsukune said.

"Yea…" Ichigo agreed as he looked upon Gin's grinning visage.

---

Ichigo stretched out his senses as far as he could, but he still couldn't locate that reiatsu from the other day. But he did remember it had been by in the area around the art room, so he began there. His eyes scanned the area, searching for something suspicious… more so than usual. Ichigo clicked his tongue in annoyance at not finding anything. But as he kept walking, he heard someone's voice. He looked down from the cliff he was on, and noticed Moka was talking to a lady wearing a bandana and paint-stained clothing.

"Oh sensei, sorry to keep you waiting!" The pink-haired vampire said.

"Oh! You really did show up for me! Thank you." The art teacher smiled at her student. "I'm really glad Moka-san. When I see someone as beautiful as you, I just want to have you in my art collection."

'_**Sounds like a lesbian.'**_Ichigo suddenly began coughing when he heard his other side's quip. But regardless of what he said, Ichigo didn't like the way this 'art' teacher was looking at Moka. It was… predatory, despite the pleasant look on the teacher's face.

Ichigo thought about it for a moment, then decided to go investigate. Two quick shunpos and he was next to the window of the art room.

"Well, in art class today, you'll be painting pictures continuing with last week's theme of 'what's important to you!'" The teacher spoke to the classroom, which seemed to be enraptured by her words. "And just what is important to you is the art in each and every one of your hearts. Feel free to paint whatever you want."

Well, that didn't sound so suspicious Ichigo thought. He turned his head and came face-to-face with a girl who was staring at him curiously. "Do you want to join Ishigami-sensei's art class? I'm skipping class too to be with her!" She quipped, a smile on her face.

"Er… no."

"Oh…" They both stared at each other for a bit until the girl shrugged and opened the window. "Sensie! I'm skipping gym class to have fun with you!" The girl called out, a slight blush on her cheeks.

Having heard enough, Ichigo walked away. Nothing seemed to be wrong… maybe he was simply overanalyzing. After all, not _every_ monster was bad. But still… he would like to have a talk with Moka, just to make sure she's safe.

---

Ichigo looked around, trying to spot Moka in the crowd. It really shouldn't be this hard, especially with that pink hair of hers. Then he spotted said hair and began moving towards it. Then he wondered why he was doing this when he could simply Shunpo over to her. But then he realized that it would cause a commotion and that was something he didn't want. But then he saw Moka turn a corner and he hurried himself to catch up to her. The path cleared a bit and he decided to make a small dash. This however, turned a bit disastrous for the Substitute Shinigami as he crashed into someone, causing them to fall.

"Owie…" The person moaned. Ichigo looked down and saw some yellow panties staring back at him. With a blush, he averted his eyes and looked at the person's face, it was Kurumu!

"Ichigo!" Kurumu exclaimed as she straightened out her skirt, trying to cover her panties. But all in all, she was glad to see Ichigo.

"Eh… sorry about that. I didn't mean to bump into you." Ichigo apologized as he held one hand behind his hand and offered the other one to Kurumu. With a blush, she took a hold of Ichigo's manly hand and felt herself lifted up easily and swiftly. He didn't even seem to exert any effort! With an ever growing heart, she hugged Ichigo.

"I'm so happy that I bumped into you Ichigo! I can't believe we bumped in the hallway, what a coincidence!" She said ecstatically before burying Ichigo's face in her plentiful breasts.

But she was pulled away by Ichigo, who had turned beet red at this encounter. "I would appreciate it if you didn't do that every time we said hello!" Ichigo said in a higher-pitched voice.

Kurumu pouted as she replied, "Don't you like it Ichigo? I'm just trying to make you happy since you are my destined one after all!"

Ichigo held a look of surprise, confusing the Succubus. "Wait, you weren't kidding?"

The way Ichigo was looking at her made her feel giddy and slightly nervous all at once. "Well… no. I mean. You're strong, powerful, nice, and handsome! That's why you're my destined one, and I will do anything for you, even share a bed!"

At that last statement, Ichigo threw a coughing fit. But after that surprise, Ichigo looked at Kurumu's eyes, making sure she took him seriously. "Kurumu… I'm glad that you… like me that way. But that's not the way to go about it."

"It's not?" Asked a slightly disheartened Kurumu.

Seeing that this was going the wrong way quickly, Ichigo tried explaining himself. "I mean, if I liked a girl, I'd like to be good friends at least."

"So are you saying we're not good friends?" Kurumu said, feeling a heavy weight at the pit of her stomach. Was Ichigo rejecting her?

"No… I mean yes! I mean… Gah!" Ichigo sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. Then he snapped his fingers as the answer came to him. "We are friends Kurumu. Good friends, but do you really know me?"

"I know you're handsome an…"

"I mean do you really know me? Do you know who I am?" Ichigo asked as he looked into her eyes. Kurumu blushed at this attention, but began to question herself. Other than his name and age… she really didn't know anything about the boy in front of her. Immediately she felt sad because here she was calling him her destined one when she didn't even know a thing about him.

"No… I don't… I'm sorry Ichigo." She hung her head, puzzling Ichigo. What was with the sudden change in mood? Guess he'll never figure out teh wimmenz.

"It's… alright…" Ichigo was unsure of what to say at the moment. He really didn't want a relationship now, but this girl _had_ proclaimed her love to him… even if she didn't really know what it meant so he couldn't just go and break her heart. So he weighed his options and decided to go with the best one.

"I mean… I wouldn't mind dating you, but we should get to know each other first." Wait… where the _hell_ had that come from? But it was too late to ponder as Kurumu's head jolted up, eyes sparkling and full of hope. Oh crap…

"Do you really mean that Ichigo?" Kurumu asked, feeling bubbly as if her heart had been dipped in soda. Not exactly romantic or visually pleasant, but hey, love varies from people to people.

"Umm… y-yea, I do." Ichigo said as he took a step back from Kurumu, who looked like she could float right off the ground… oh wait, she was floating. Her wings were making her hover a few feet off the ground, catching the attention of those in the hall. Soon, she retracted those wings and her feet were touching the ground… all the while Ichigo had been merely looking on, not sure what to say or do.

But then he was engulfed in a hug by Kurumu. Unlike the other times, this one was more… friendlier, and not in a suggestive way. It was pleasant, Ichigo had to admit. It was one of those hugs that made you feel connected to the person you were hugging. He smiled, albeit a bit nervously when a pleasant noise escaped from Kurumu as she laid her head against Ichigo's chest.

"Thank you Ichigo." She said, her voice sounding content and pleasant. Then she pulled away from the hug, just enough so she could speak face-to-face with Ichigo, who blushed a bit when he realized how close he was to Kurumu's face.

"Do you want to have lunch then?" She asked with a charming smile that would've made any other man turn into jell-o.

But Ichigo was actually a bit hesitant. If he said yes, he might start something that he shouldn't. They obviously hate humans here, what would happen if they found out he was human? Would they betray him? Give him up to a higher authority?

"Sure." He found himself saying. Ichigo was deeply puzzled; he didn't even _remember_ thinking about saying yes. But he didn't have long to be puzzled as he was pulled by an ecstatic Kurumu by the arm. Well, it's not like one little lunch would immediately bond them together right?

'_**Sometimes I hate Ichigo for being so stupid.'**_

'_**Hmm.'**_

'_**That was one of your last will pushes wasn't it old man?'**_

'_**Yes. Now we each only have one more chance left to influence Ichigo. We better use it wisely.'**_

'_**Oh well, it's for the best for this little shit right?'**_

'_**I've never known you to be the caring type.'**_

'_**I don't want my landlord to die a virgin. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that would be for me?'**_

'**Yes… that would be embarrassing.'**

---

So five days passed, and Kurumu and Ichigo became closer…. Regardless of what Ichigo thought. With Moka out of the picture for the moment, Kurumu had taken this opportunity to learn as much about Ichigo as she could. One thing she learned was that his hair actually was naturally orange. She hadn't learned anything of real significance, but it was the little things that counted. For instance, things like this:

"Man, why is the sky so cloudy all the time?" Asked an annoyed Ichigo.

Kurumu shrugged as they walked to a table and sat down. "I don't know." She said as she took a seat. "It could be because the barrier that keeps this area hidden has that affect."

Ichigo sighed before digging into his lunch. Despite being better friends, Ichigo was still rather awkward at keeping up a conversation, especially with a girl. But there would times now where he would randomly say something that came to mind like this, "I miss the blue sky."

"Is blue your favorite color?" Kurumu asked innocently enough. But she was filing away any information she could get on Ichigo. Quickly she had learned that a man like Ichigo could not be won by physical affection, he needed emotional care as well. Of course, that itself was quite troublesome since Ichigo had proven himself to be a hard nut to crack. He wasn't emotionally distant… he just… didn't pick up on the cues like most normal people.

"Yea, I like it." Ichigo said as he picked at his food. This was really a dull day so far… and for some reason, he felt like he was forgetting something, or rather someone.

Kurumu smiled as her eye gave an unseen twinkle. "So, does that mean you like the color of my hair?"

Ichigo looked up from his food and stared a hair for a bit and shrugged. "Sure, I like it." He said before continuing with his meal, unknowing of how this little bit of information would affect Kurumu.

---

"Ichigo!" Kurumu yelled, spotting Ichigo walking with Moka. Ichigo actually offered a small smile to the Succubus, which did not go unnoticed by Moka.

"Yo Kurumu." Again, Moka was surprised when Kurumu didn't simply smother him with those big breasts of hers. Instead, she simply gave him a light, tender hug, which Ichigo actually reciprocated with one arm.

"Hey Moka!" Kurumu greeted Moka, who thought something was off with Kurmu's hair.

"Ano… did you change your hair somehow?" Moka asked.

"Hmm…?" Ichigo looked at Kurmu's hair, and realized that it did seem different somehow. It looked… bluer? Ichigo couldn't help but snicker a bit, getting the attention of both girls.

"What's so funny?" Kurumu asked, not liking the way Ichigo was reacting to her hair 'augmentation.'

"I'm… sorry, but it looks like cotton candy!" Ichigo half-snickered, his eyes betraying the joy he got from seeing Kurumu's ridiculous hair.

"That's so mean Ichigo…" Kurumu said as she hung her head, feeling disheartened that Ichigo was openly making fun of her rather than complimenting her.

"Sorry… but… it's true!" Ichigo said, before seeing the saddened look on Kurumu's face. For some unknown reason, he felt the need to comfort her and he did by reaching out and patting her head.

"I'm sure it'd be a good… flavor?" Ichigo said before he paused. When Kurumu had moved her head up to look at Ichigo, his hand had slid down, resting comfortably against Kurumu's cheek. Kurumu simply stared at him, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

Alarmed, Ichigo pulled away and spoke in a nervous tone, "Ah well… guess we better head to class!" Then he spun on his heel and walked away as quickly as he could. All the while, he left behind a speechless Moka and Kurumu, who was touching her cheek ever so tenderly. Her face relaxed into a gentle, peaceful expression as her eyes radiated the love she was feeling for Ichigo.

"Ichigo…"

---

The next day, Ichigo and Tsukune were walking to their next class when Tsukune asked, "So you and Kurumu suddenly seem closer?"

Ichigo paused to think about it. It seemed Kurumu hadn't given the incident a second thought since she didn't mention it when they met up. This made things a lot less awkward for Ichigo, but he couldn't help but feel something was happening and he was being left out of the loop. Now whenever he saw Kurumu, he couldn't help but smile at her, even if was just a small one or a simple tug at the corner of his lips.

"I guess. She's a good friend once you get to know her." Ichigo replied, unsure of his own words.

"Yea… I get what you mean. Mizore was a bit… anti-social when I met her. But she's really warmed up to people now."

"Yea…" Ichigo said, and that was the last thing that was spoken between the boys before they parted ways and went to their respective classrooms. But just before Ichigo touched the doorknob, he felt that strange spike of reiatsu once again. Quickly, he shunpo'd down the stairs, and out the building.

---

Once again, the reiatsu was fading, but this time he had reached the destination. So it _had_ been the art room. Ichigo fixed his tie and cautiously walked in, feeling stupid a moment later for even fixing his tie when there could be a battle at any moment.

Ichigo just stood there, a blank look on his face. Nobody was even _in_ here. Ichigo clicked his tongue in annoyance before he heard a tiny noise come from one of the closets. As he walked closer, he could make out crying. Puzzled and alarmed, Ichigo took one quick step and tore open the closet door and what he saw shocked him.

It was a statue of a naked girl, covering up her breasts with her arms. But that was not the thing that was shocking. What shocked Ichigo… was that the statue was _crying. _Despite being stone, it held a look of utter terror infused with sadness. Then, Ichigo noticed the hair style it was using. It looked familiar… hadn't he seen a girl with that same hair style? Wait… could this statue be—

"_Hey… what are you doing to my art?"_ A voice from behind Ichigo hissed menacingly. Ichigo turned around and was about to get into a battle stance when the person spoke again.

"Oh hey, aren't you Ichi-kun from class three?" The person, now revealed as Ishigami the art teacher, said.

"Hey, what's up with those" sta—"

"Ichigo?" A familiar voice spoke out. Ichigo turned his head to see Moka standing there, a questioning look on her face. "Why are you here Ichigo?"

"Well, I thought I saw something susp—"

"NO!" Moka yelled out and proceed to push Ichigo out the door.

"Oi OI! Why are you doing this?" Ichigo said as he dug his heels into the ground, stopping Moka's plan from succeeding.

"What I do is none of your business! I'll be embarrassed if you stay here!" Moka gave Ichigo a look that meant what she said. Ichigo on one hand gave Moka a hard look, making the pink-haired vampire nervous.

"Fine, if that's the way you're feeling then I'll go." Ichigo said as he slung his backpack over his shoulders and proceeded to walk out.

Moka was suddenly filled with regret that she had sounded so harsh to Ichigo. Feeling bad, she tried to reach out and grab a hold of Ichigo's arm, but she was stopped by Ishigami who had taken a hold of _her_ arm instead.

"Huh? Ishigami-sensei?" Moka questioned.

"Sorry… it seems I can't let you go anymore." Ishigami replied as her face turned from pleasant to darkly menacing in an instant.

---

Ichigo walked into the clubroom, feeling sad for some reason. Of course, he wouldn't show it and on his face was his usual scowl. But that didn't really hide his sadness, especially if you got to know him like Kurumu, who almost instantly noticed this when he came in.

"What's wrong Ichigo?" She asked from her desk. Somehow, she had actually _felt_ that something was bothering Ichigo.

This… oddly made Ichigo feel happy. He didn't know why, but the fact that she knew what he was feeling elated him and it showed on his face as his scowl softened. But before he could reply, he was interrupted by Gin.

"Who cares? The point is Ichigo was late and another girl went missing." Gin said as he held up a paper with a picture of the girl on it. Suddenly, realization came to Ichigo who quickly grabbed the paper from Gin's hands.

"This girl…" Ichigo spoke, earning the curiosity of those in the room. "I know where everyone's being held!" And before anyone could ask what Ichigo meant, he had shunpo'd out sight.

---

"What's happening to you all of a sudden Ishigami-sensei?" Moka fearfully asked as she backed away from the transformed teacher. "Your hair! It's like snakes!"

"You see… Ichi-kun saw a little too much. So I'm going to have to put an end to our little playtime!" Her visage darkened as her hair turned into snakes, hissing menacingly as they looked at their prey. Then they shot out, ready to bite Moka.

Moka out of reflex brought up her arm. A snake bit her on the arm as the rest simply pummeled into her unprotected stomach, knocking her back into one of the closets. A cloud crash was heard as the door of the closet collapsed, kicking up a lot of dust. After the dust cleared away, Moka looked on in horror as she saw statues all around her… crying.

"What's going on? These statues are crying as if they were real!" She exclaimed, before groaning in pain. She looked at the bitten hand and noticed that it was slowly turning into stone.

As if to answer her unasked question, Ishigami walked in the room and spoke, "_It's the Medusa power of transformation into stone! Any living being bitten by one of my snake-like hairs will turn into stone. You too will soon be turned into stone just like those girls!"_

With sudden realization, Moka connected the pieces as she slowly backed away. "No, you couldn't mean… then the other statues in this room are all…"

"The beautiful students of this Academy!" The Medusa finished with a wicked smile. "Yes, I've turned them all to stone."

Her face warped into a twisted and maniacal visage as she spoke with utmost joy. "Isn't it artistic? And you too will be turned into stone and added to my art collection Akashiya Moka!"

Her snakes soon stretched out and wrapped Moka, biting her in several places. Moka was defenseless against this onslaught. Now she wished Ichigo was here at this moment. But he wouldn't come… she had hurt him. There was no reason for him to rescue her.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Was heard as both Moka and Ishigami felt the ground shake a little. The next thing either of them knew, the building was literally cut in half and the snakes holding Moka were ripped to shreds.

Ishigami screeched and wailed, cursing the person who had scorched her precious snakes. She cursed and spat at the person who could've done such thing, but as the dust cleared, her vision was suddenly filled with something green.

"Homerun." Ichigo said before slamming his backpack into Ishigami's face. The force of the impact knocked her into the wall behind her, rendering her unconscious. One of her snakes was still alive, and hissed angrily Ichigo. Said person simply stomped on the snakes head, thus putting an end to the Medusa quickly and in an unorthodox way.

Ichigo let out a sigh before turning to Moka. "Are you alright?"

Moka nodded numbly as she looked around, noticing the building was falling to pieces. "Was that your doing?"

Ichigo looked around for a bit, then turned back to Moka with an apologetic look on his face. "Sorry about that, I thought I had held back more than this."

Neither of the teens noticed the slight glow the Rosario emanated. Moka was too busy gawking at Ichigo, who was too busy trying to figure out how to control his power better. But suddenly he snapped out of his thoughts and spoke, "So I'm guessing we should get out of here?"

"Huh? Oh right. Yes, we should get going." Moka agreed quietly. They left the building too, in silence, neither speaking until they were almost to the main building.

"I'm… sorry for saying what I said earlier, but I had a reason." Moka apologized to the substitute shinigami.

"It's alright, we all like our privacy." Ichigo said, waving her off. And it really wasn't that big a deal to Ichigo, who felt silly for feeling bad earlier. Everyone was entitled to their own privacy right?

"No, it's not alright." Moka said as she stopped in front of a surprised Ichigo. "I'm sorry Ichigo, but I did what I did for a good reason, you have to believe me!"

Ichigo blinked, unsure of what to say. "I… do… believe you." Ichigo staggered. Really, he didn't' mind. It's not like he was trying to get her to admit something.

Moka didn't seem convinced and finally decided to tell him why she did what she did. "I did it because I was hiding your birthday present. I just… I wanted to… I—"

"Birthday present?" Ichigo questioned the pink-haired vampire.

"Yea…" Moka said, confused. "It's your birthday tomorrow isn't it?"

Ichigo stared at Moka for a bit, then blinked. "Umm… no… it's Tsukune's birthday tomorrow."

"Really?" Asked a dumbfounded Moka. So… had she done all of this… for nothing? Her left eyebrow twitched slightly before her legs gave way and she crumpled to the floor.

"Moka! My dear Moka!" Ichigo turned his head to find a half-ways transformed Gin running up to him at high speed. It was almost as if he were trying to…

WHAM!

"Eh?" Was what Ichigo said as he flew across the yard before being stopped by a strong tree, leaving an indent in it.

"What have you done to hot Moka! Curse you Ichigo!" Gin wailed as he picked up Moka and carried her to presumably the infirmary.

Meanwhile, Kurumu floated to where Ichigo… to where Ichigo… actually Ichigo was in a curious position. Kurumu craned her head… on… bent her body so that she could see Ichigo face-to-face since he was currently upside down and embedded into the tree.

"Are you alright?" She asked, a teasing smile on her face.

Ichigo was simply staring straight ahead… which he realized a moment later was a bad thing. In front of him were Kurumu's shapely legs, which curved in the right places. And he couldn't help himself as he continued staring, noticing how they seemed rather toned and smooth. Man he'd like to run his hands up th—

"Ichigo?" Kurumu asked as she waved a hand in front of Ichigo's face. She began to worry when Ichigo didn't reply, especially when his face continually got redder and redder.

"I'm… alright." Came Ichigo's slightly high-pitched voice. He shook his head rather violently before bending his legs and launching himself from the tree, landing neatly behind Kurumu… or that's what would've happened had he not been upside down. Instead, he launched himself into the dirt below… face-first at that.

"Something tells me you're not Ichigo." Kurumu said as she grabbed a hold of one of Ichigo's arms and lifted him up. When she looked into his eyes, she saw that they were replaced by swirley's. Guess he wasn't home at the moment. Wait… if he wasn't conscious…

Kurumu gave a mischievous smile as she took Ichigo back to her dorm.

**XXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**And… CUT!**

**What do YOU guys think is gonna happen? I'd like to hear where you guys think this story is heading… that way I can crush your hopes and write it a different way!**

**Just kiddin! Till later.**


	7. Mom?

"There we go!" Kurumu said as she laid Ichigo down on the couch. She looked at him, and couldn't help but giggle when saw the ever-present scowl on Ichigo's face. Even when asleep, Ichigo still held that angry look. But she kinda liked it. It made him look rough, like he had been through a lot and still managed to push on. Oh if she only knew how true that was.

She took one last look at Ichigo's form before heading to the kitchen. She opened one of the cabinets, wondering what she should make for Ichigo. She hummed a light, happy tune as she did so. Her head tilted to one side as she pondered her choices, but then her eyes lit up as realization came to her: Why decide when you can have all of them? So, taking out multiple pots… she got to work!

---

This definitely was the softest pillow Ichigo had ever slept on. He couldn't explain it, but it seemed to cradle his head in a way that reminded him of when he was little and slept on his mom's lap. He felt so comfortable and safe. And the pillow was warm which was an added bonus… wait, pillows aren't supposed to be warm…

Ichigo's eyes snapped and he tried to get up, but was pushed backed down by someone's hand on his head. Once his head was back in its previous position, he saw Kurumu staring down at him. Ichigo blinked as Kurumu smiled at him. He wanted to ask what she was doing, but somehow, no words could come out of his mouth.

"Nice of you to wake up sleepyhead." Kurumu's said in a gentle tone that deeply confused Ichigo. Not because it was strange that she was speaking like this, but because it caused something inside of him to stir. It was a strange sensation… but vaguely familiar at the same time. It felt like he _wanted_ to stay in this position as long as he could, but he didn't know why.

Ichigo tried to get up once again, but once again was pushed down by Kurumu. "What are you doing Kurumu?" Ichigo asked, trying to sound annoyed. But it didn't work since Kurumu continued to smile at him. Ichigo was… perplexed and slightly scared. Kurumu's eyes shined with something that made him nervous, that made him want to bolt out of the room. But… at the same, it was attractive and he never realized the Kurumu's eyes were actually violet. He always thought they would be blue since her hair was blue. But his thoughts were cut off as she spoke.

"Oh nothing." She replied before gently running one hand through Ichigo's hair, the other resting on Ichigo's chest gently. Ichigo wouldn't admit it, but he really liked it. Then he figured that Kurumu wasn't really doing anything wrong so why not enjoy it? And with that thought, his muscles relaxed as he let the sensations run freely through his body. Everything seemed to fade away as his mind detached from the real world. A comfortable haze filled his mind as he began reminiscing the times of when his mom used to do the same thing. He remembered her smile and the comfort she brought him when he simply looked at her. He felt like laughing when he remembered the time when his mom used to tickle him. He would be all relaxed and then his mom would start tickling his belly and he would be helpless to stop her.

But it was after they tuckered themselves out that he remembered the most. She would hold him close to her, expressing her love freely with kisses planted on his head and cheek. Then she would giggle… and Ichigo would laugh. It was contagious and neither of them would stop laughing for ten minutes straight until their stomachs hurt. Those memories caused Ichigo to chuckle as a couple of tears slid down his cheek, surprising Kurumu who until had been looking at him with a gentle fondness.

"Are you alright Ichigo?" Kurumu asked as she stopped her actions, looking down worriedly at Ichigo. Despite the fact that he was chuckling, it did nothing to ease the fact that he had tears rolling down his cheek.

Ichigo opened his eyes and looked into Kurumu's violet irises, though he still hadn't fully awakened. All he could see was his mom smiling at him. "I'm alright mom." He replied, confusing the blue-haired girl.

"Mom?" Kurumu asked, sensing something was off here. Confusion turned to even more worry as she saw Ichigo's eyes widen in slight panic. His mouth opened as if to say something, but no words came out. Then before she could stop him, Ichigo got up and headed straight for the door.

"Wait Ichigo!" She yelled out to the substitute shinigami. Thankfully, Ichigo paused at the door and looked at her from over his shoulder even if he was a bit hesitant to do so.

"Y-Yea?" Ichigo replied, unsure of what to say after this little outburst. He saw Kurumu fidget around, almost as if she were hesitant to say what was on her mind.

Kurumu really wanted to ask what that whole 'mom' business had been about, but she figured that now wouldn't be the best time. So, she asked a simple question. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I… made lots of food when you were unconscious. So…" She looked up at Ichigo with pleading eyes, hoping he'd say yes.

By this time Ichigo's nerves had calmed down a bit. Why he panicked earlier, he had no idea, but he was glad she wasn't asking about it. The least he could do was accept her offer after that little incident. With a sigh, he agreed.

"That's great! Umm… you can sit on the couch while I set the table? Food will be ready in a minute!" And before Ichigo could reply Kurumu had disappeared into the kitchen. Ichigo noted there was a slight tension in the air. It wasn't much, but it bugged him.

Ichigo looked at the couch… and decided to stand. At the moment, he and the couch weren't exactly good friends so he'd rather stay as far away from it as he could. And while he was waiting, he began to wonder why his mom had made her way into his thoughts. Sure Kurumu's running her hand through his hair reminded him of his mom, but that was it. There should've been no reason why those other memories should've been brought up.

Giving up on that train of thought, Ichigo sighed before he heard Kurumu call him from the other room. Looks like dinner was ready. Slowly, he trudged to the other room, a knot forming in his stomach as he felt nervous beyond belief.

'**I'm sorry about this Ichigo, but I had to do this. You need to learn to give your heart to someone else or you will never be happy.'**

---

"Wow…" Ichigo said as he marveled at the feast before him. Somehow, despite the fact that the table was meant for two people, an assortment of food was displayed. Steamed rice, Teriyaki, Domburi, Onigiri, and even curry rice. This was a meal fit for a king… and somehow, he could almost _hear_ his inner hollow laughing at the inside joke.

Kurumu saw Ichigo's surprised look and was incredibly pleased. Her mom told her that some men were not swayed by sensuality, but simply by food. And judging from the way Ichigo was staring at the food it looked like Ichigo might be one of these men. She held her breath, hoping Ichigo would like it as he tentatively tried the curry rice using chopsticks.

Oh how Kurumu could see it now! Ichigo's eyes would widen as his senses would be overwhelmed by the deliciousness of her food! He would get up dramatically, pick her up and hold her close to himself while whispering in her ear, _'Your food is delicious, marry me Kurono Kurumu!'_

Kurumu sighed as she woke up from her daydream, only to find Ichigo giving her a funny look. "W-What?"

"Umm… nothing." Ichigo said as he took a bite out of his Onigiri. "You're food tastes good by the way."

"That's it?" Kurumu asked with an indignant look on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, isn't it the best food you've ever tasted? I tried really hard you know." Kurumu said as she crossed her arms over… on top of her chest. Ichigo swallowed as he fought back a blush. Were her breasts really that big? Setting that fact aside, he had somehow succeeded in hiding his thoughts with his usual scowl.

"What? Do you want me to apologize or something?" Ichigo asked, his eyebrows furrowing as his face took on an unpleasant look. But Kurumu knew not to take this personally… Ichigo looked funny liked that.

So instead, she smiled as she gave Ichigo a seductive look, batting her eyelashes as she surprised the young shinigami. "Yes, I want you to apologize by kissing me." She replied, her voice filled with mirth at Ichigo's surprised look. Then she shook her head and laughed, "I'm just kidding Ichigo! You don't need to take everything so seriously!"

"Tch." Was all Ichigo could say. Right now, he could actually _feel_ his ears were red. At least his face hadn't blushed and it's not like Kurumu would notice that his ears were red.

"Are your ears red?" Kurumu asked as she leaned over table to get a better look at Ichigo's ears. So much for _that_ idea.

"No!" Ichigo denied as he covered his ears.

"Yes they are! I can see the tips and they're all red!" Kurumu giggled as she pointed at Ichigo.

"Shut up!"

"Ichigo is blu-shing!" Kurumu sang as she laughed at Ichigo's plight.

Ichigo merely slammed his head against the table and covered his head. Only… his face didn't hit the table. Instead, his face was now an inch deep in curry rice. Well, that wasn't too bad. Not only was that the best face slam he had ever done, but the tension from earlier seemed to have disappeared.

And the sound of Kurumu laughing wasn't so bad either… besides the fact that she was making fun of him since he had curry sauce all over his face. Her voice was pleasant to Ichigo's ears and it didn't get on his nerves like most girls' voices. As Ichigo continued laying there, Kurumu decided to help poor Ichigo. So she grabbed a cloth and decided to wipe away sauce from his face.

Ichigo felt his head being lifted and asked, "What are you doing?" As he tried pushing Kurumu away, but was failing since he couldn't really see anything.

"Eh?! Calm down Ichigo! I'm just trying to clean you up!" Kurumu tried reasoning as she battled the shinigami as if he were a displeased six-year old.

"I can do it myself!" Ichigo yelled back as he now tried to take away the rag from Kurumu's hand, but instead caught her by the wrist. "Aha! Got you!"

"No so fast!" Kurumu countered as she tossed the rag into her other hand. "Now hold still! This wouldn't be taking so long if you'd just be still!"

"I don't wanna!" Was Ichigo's childish reply and he proceeded to grab Kurumu's other wrist. She tried dodging, but failed to evade Ichigo's swift grab.

"Let go of me!" Kurumu said in an exasperated tone. For having such a serious look on his face, Ichigo was being so childish. He was fighting back so hard too, of course, not at full power or else he'd be hurting Kurumu. This of course, was his undoing as Kurumu pushed forward, determined to get Ichigo clean. As the battle waged on, Ichigo noticed something…

"Hey wait! Stop!" Ichigo said as he felt the chair tilt backwards.

"I'm not falling for it Ichigo! I'm going to clean you up whether you like it or not!" Kurumu replied as she pushed harder against Ichigo. "Now quit being so childish!"

"No, that's not what I me—"

WHAM!

"Ouch…" Ichigo said as his eyes swarmed. Ichigo closed his eyes for a moment, trying to let the pain subside. He reached with on hand to rub by the back of his head, but noticed it was touching something soft. Slowly, he opened his eyes as he regained focus.

When his focus sharpened, he noticed he was face-to-face with one Kurono Kurumu and his hands were on her waist. Ichigo blinked, and then realized a split second later the position they were in. It was awkward, and not just the situation. Ichigo was still technically still 'sitting' in his chair while Kurumu 'sat' in his lap. Currently, she was supporting herself using her elbows, but her face was still dangerously close to Ichigo's.

Ichigo then began to get nervous. She wasn't saying anything. They had after all fallen… and yet she wasn't saying anything. She wasn't yelling or accusing him of anything. She simply stared into his eyes and Ichigo felt like he was being consumed by those violet orbs of hers. They shimmered with an emotion that Ichigo couldn't fathom. It was at this moment that Ichigo's nervousness begun to take the better of him and he began to struggle a bit… bad idea.

"Ichigo…" Kurumu closed her eyes and gave a light moan as he tried sliding from beneath her. The friction had been… pleasurable, much to the embarrassment of the horrified shinigami.

"W-What!" Ichigo's high-pitched voice came. But that was the least of his worries. When she had opened her eyes, she had given him a small smile that made his heart faster. Then, she proceeded to lean in closer to Ichigo.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo asked once again, his heart beating loudly against his chest.

She was mere inches away from his face. Her lips shimmered and Ichigo could just imagine how soft they would be. But then panic struck him… he needed to get out this instant. But it was too late as Kurumu… hugged him?

"Thank you for the tonight Ichigo. It was wonderful." She said pleasantly as she spoke into his ear, sending shivers down Ichigo's spine. Then, she kissed him on the cheek, causing both of them to blush at the contact.

"Thank you… even if you were acting like such a child at the end." Kurumu said, a smirk in her voice. Ichigo looked up, his eyes widened slightly as he looked at Kurumu. Somehow, though he couldn't quite place it, something was different about her. And because of that, Ichigo was looking at her in a new light though he hadn't figured out what that change was.

"Well don't say embarrassing things next time." Ichigo replied softly. Kurumu nodded and gave him one last smile before she decided to get up, pulling up Ichigo when he accepted her extended hand. They stood there for a moment, taking in each other's face, memorizing all the features and curves unconsciously. Though Ichigo wouldn't admit it, that kiss had made him happy. And how could one tell? Simply by knowing that his bored face meant he was happy and his scowl was his normal face. After a few seconds ticked by, Ichigo decided to break the silence when he noticed neither of them was going to speaking up.

"So uh… I should be heading out now?" Ichigo said as he scratched the back of his head.

"I guess… but you don't really have to…."

"What!"

Kurumu shook her head as she clarified. "I mean you could sleep on the couch… if you'd like." She replied timidly, showing a side to Ichigo that perplexed him.

But he simply offered a small smile as he shook his head. "No, I think I have to get going now. But I'll see you tomorrow Kurumu."

At sound of her name, Kurumu's heart leapt. The way he had said it… it held so much affection. She wanted to hear him say it one more time, but she knew he had to leave. Grudgingly, she nodded as she replied, "Yea, I'll see you tomorrow then Ichigo. You better come back soon though!"

Ichigo chuckled as he nodded. "Sure, but I'm wiping my face next time."

"Deal!" Kurumu replied before embracing Ichigo once again. The sudden hug surprised Ichigo a bit, but he hugged her back… with _both_ hands this time. Kurumu did not fail to notice this and squeezed Ichigo just a little bit harder as she inhaled his scent. This had to be the happiest moment in her life!

The embrace ended and Ichigo waved Kurumu goodbye before leaving out the door, feeling oddly satisfied. It must've been the good food, Ichigo figured. But behind those doors, Kurumu still stood there, looking at the door with a faraway gaze in her eyes.

"Ichigo…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Don't look at me like that _ I'd continue with the next chapter of the manga… but I don't think it would flow. Rest assured, I'm not going to stop writing less than 5k words per chapter, this was just an exception.**

**Wow… I haven't written fluff in forever. How'd it go?**


	8. Slug

Ichigo gave the loudest yawn he had ever given as he stretched his arms, sitting up in his bed. He blinked a couple of times to get those morning tears out before deciding to get out of bed. As he did, his mind fully kicked into gear and memories of the other night played in his head. Ichigo knew who he was. And last night was definitely _not_ something that would've happened to him if he could've avoided it.

This wasn't to say it had been unpleasant despite being awkward, it was just something he wouldn't do. And as he thought about it, he gave a grunt of frustration as he ran a rough hand through his hair in a frustrated motion. Thinking early in the morning was never his strong suit, so he decided to save the thought for later. Right now, breakfast was the most important thing.

Oh how he hated his own pathetic cooking…

---

"You know, come to think of it, there's not a sense of changing seasons here is there?" Tsukune asked Ichigo. He had asked this because as he looked outside, he still saw the same cloudy sky that he had seen ever since he got here.

"No… not really." Ichigo replied in a dry tone. That was another thing he did not like about this school, the unchanging weather. He wanted to see a blue sky, clear and free of clouds. But it didn't look like that was going to happen anytime soon. Not only that, but they were working hard to meet the deadline for the newspaper.

"Tsukune-kun…"

"Yes Mizore?" Tsukune said when he felt that familiar cold touch on his shoulder. It belonged to Mizore's who was currently sitting in a desk to the right of him.

"You should be paying attention to your work… there are only two more days until the paper is printed." Mizore reminded him gently while somehow giving him a stern look.

"Oh, yea, that's true Mizore." Then he turned to his left to look at Ichigo, "You better get to work also Ichigo!"

"Yea." Had been Ichigo's automatic reply, but his eyes were focused on something else. He noticed how Mizore hadn't let go of Tsukune's shoulder throughout the conversation. It displayed a sign affection not really shared by people who were merely friends. But Ichigo's musings were cut off when he heard Moka call out his name.

"Ichigooo! I know it's a lot of work to do, but you should really start on your share of the work!" Moka pouted when she noticed that Ichigo had barely done any work. Sitting across from Ichigo, she noticed he been staring at Mizore and Tsukune's interaction. She would've given it more thought had she not been so busy.

"Ah, sorry. I guess I was just a bit distracted." Ichigo replied before taking a pile of papers handed him to him by Moka. "I'll get to work."

The article Ichigo had to work on dealt with yesterday's kidnapping incident. When he had defeated the Medusa, the curse had lifted and the girls had been turned back to normal. This oddly enough made him wonder if he would ever fight someone truly strong, but a gentle reminder of his fight with Kenpachi dissuaded him.

He sighed as he tapped the eraser on his pencil against the desk. He was not meant to be a writer. As he looked on at the paper in front of him, his eyes couldn't help but wander. He looked up at Moka, and noticed how her eyebrows seemed to furrow in thought. She really was trying hard on this paper, Ichigo thought. But then his eyes shifted to the right and he caught Kurumu peaking at him from the corner of her eye. She hurriedly rushed back to work, pretending that nothing happened. But the blush on her cheeks said it all.

Much to his surprise, he felt himself turn away also. It seems he was more embarrassed than he had previously thought. That was a given since he had acted so… strangely. "What's wrong Ichigo?" Yukari quipped up, noticing his troubled look.

"Nothing Yukari." Ichigo replied. And then his mood went from confused to annoyed as hell when Gin decided to speak up.

"Stop being a baby Ichigo! That goes for all of you!" Ichigo berated. "The incident with the art teacher that's gonna be all over the front page was two days ago, Thursday! Ain't no one gonna call us a newspaper if there ain't reporting immediately on her!"

Gin sighed and grabbed the warm cup of coffee from his desk and took a sip from it. "I'll listen to your sob stories after you make the deadline." He said pleasantly.

This ended up getting on Moka's nerves. Standing up, she yelled at Gin. "Then would you please help us out instead of relaxing over there drinking coffee!"

While this was going on, the group was unaware they were being spied upon. Especially Kurumu, who was the main object of the perpetrator's attention. The figure took pictures of Kurumu as she stared at a certain orange-haired boy, who was distracted by the chaos around him. The figure momentarily pulled his eye away from the viewfinder of his camera and frowned at this. But soon the frown turned a ravenous smile as he spoke, "Just you wait. Soon I'll be holding you in my arms!"

---

"Is everyone working hard? I brought snacks!" Nekonome said as she peeked her head inside the room. But when no one replied, she decided to enter. Looking around, she noticed the entire group busy cutting, pasting, writing, erasing, and doing all the things necessary to run a newspaper.

"Nekonome-sensei." Gin greeted, momentarily averting his gaze from the comics he was reading.

"Well, is the work continuing?" She said as she looked at the hardworking group in front of her. "It doesn't even look like I need to ask, does it?"

Moka took this as a chance to take a break, so she replied, "There are lots of cuts and pages, it's a lot of work."

Nekonome's ears wiggled as she lifted a bag with the snacks she brought. "Well then, come on and eat the snacks and cheer up!" She said happily.

Yukari grabbed one of the snacks… and almost threw up. Tsukune who had noticed Yukari's reaction decided to get up and find out what the snacks were. He opened the bag before his face contorted into one of disgust and horror. "Sensie! These are raw fish!" He exclaimed, holding one up so that everyone could see.

"It's delicious that way!" Nekonome replied. Then she seemed to remember something and pulled out a card from her coat pocket. Walking over to Kurumu, she handed it to her. "Oh yea Kurumu-chan. This letter was dropped off in front of the classroom."

"Letter?" She asked as she looked at the letter. _'Love letter?' _She thought curiously before reading the name. _'Nagare? Who's this and why now?'_

With curiosity, she opened the letter only to discover an array of indecent pictures of herself inside. Shocked beyond belief, she took a quick peak over her shoulders to make sure no one was looking. Thankfully, no one had noticed her as she quickly stuffed the pictures back inside. But in doing so, she discovered a letter that was still inside the envelope. Pulling it out, she read it.

"If you don't want these pictures to become public, come alone to the 'Monster Tree' in the main schoolyard. Nagare." After reading the words, Kurumu's face turned red from embarrassment as she hurriedly hid the envelope in a box designated for use by the newspaper club.

'_Kya! What's going on! Is this really a blackmail letter?'_ She thought as her mind scrambled, desperate to try and find an answer.

This had gotten both Ichigo and Tsukune's attention as they turned their attention away from the fighting Gin and Moka to a frantic Kurumu. "What's wrong Kurumu-san?" Tsukune was the first to speak up.

"AHAHAHAHAH!" Kurumu laughed nervously as she quickly got out of her desk, making way towards the door. "I kinda just remembered I have to do something so I'll be taking off, ok!?"

"Wait Kurumu!" Ichigo called out, stopping the Succubus in her tracks. "The deadline is almost here. We need everyone we can get."

Ichigo looked at Kurumu's face, and noticed that she held a hurt expression. It was as if she was being pulled apart by a decision that Ichigo was not aware she had to take. Oddly, that's exactly what it was, much to Ichigo's imperceptive mind. "Ah, well, maybe if you hadn't been daydreaming we could've been finished by now."

As soon as those words had escaped her lips, she wished she could've taken them back. Ichigo's eyes had widened as he looked on in shock. He took a step back, almost as if it had been a physical blow that he had received. The verbal jab left the boy stunned and Kurumu, despite her dismal mood at saying such words to the man she loved, took this opportunity to leave before she was stopped by anyone else.

"Man, what a bitchy thing to say." Tsukune said as he shook his head in wake of Kurumu's retreating form. Then he looked at Ichigo, who seemed to be frozen at the moment. Worried, Tsukune shook him a little by the shoulders. "Ichigo?"

---

Kurumu walked to the meeting place, her heart filled with grief. With each step she took, it felt like another knife was being stabbed into her heart. How could she have said that? Ichigo hadn't deserved those words! But she had been nervous and frightened by the letter. She had needed to get out of there as quickly as possible… but still…

"Hey, I've been waiting for you." A voice echoed, forcing Kurumu out of her thoughts as she realized that she had arrived. She looked around to find the source of the voice, then she looked up the tree and noticed a boy sitting on one of the dead branches. A camera hung around his neck by a strap. His feet dangled as he gave Kurumu a welcoming smile.

Immediately upon spotting him, her face turned livid with anger. The blush on her cheeks was no longer joy for the one she loved, but a wrath for the person that currently held her gaze. "Who are you?" She demanded, "What do you want, calling me out with those dirty pictures of…"

Suddenly, she became aware that she had not brought them with her. Soon, the color drained from her face as she realized that she had left them in the newspaper box. As she wondered what to do next, the person named Nagare jumped down from the branch and landed in front of her. "I took really cute pictures of you right?" He spoke, his eyes hidden behind his mess of hair as he took a step towards Kurumu. "I really liked them!"

Kurumu took a step back as she noticed one thing: _'Ugh… what's with this guy? He's all slimy with sweat or something, it's a little scary…'_

He took one last step forward before he lifted up his head. His hair parted to reveal one closed eye and a warm smile. "I'm Kanou Nagare. Don't you remember?" He asked in a pleasant manner.

Before she could reply, he went into a long winded explanation on how they met after school and he had asked to take a picture of her and that she had agreed to go out with him if he took a pretty picture of her. At the end of his speech, Kurumu was still drawing a blank. _'I don't remember at all… I guess I talked with a lot of guys in order to compete with Moka before I met Ichigo.'_

"I've been waiting all this time ever since then." He spoke as the slimey sweat began pouring out of his skin in large quantities. "Go on a date with me now just like you promised Kurumu-chan… unless you want 'those pictures' to be shown to the whole school?"

---

"Kurumu-san isn't coming back yet." Tsukune idly said as he looked at the clock.

"We have no use for people who run away like that." Yukari said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Tsukune merely sweatdropped at Yukari's tone. For an eleven year-old, she could be pretty harsh. But after that thought died off, the room became eerily silent. Moments passed on and no one seemed to want to speak up. It was Moka who broke the silence as she said, "You know, I wonder what Kurumu-chan thinks of the newspaper club?"

This piqued everyone's interest as they listened to what Moka was saying. "Kurumu-chan is here because she likes Ichigo, right? And she totally hated me from the beginning. The truth is that maybe she doesn't think of us as friends. Because going off like that at such a busy time for everyone is really weird!"

As the words sunk in, no one said a word. No one wanted to believe it, but nobody could refute the possibility. While this was going on, Ichigo had barely been paying attention. He was still a little shocked from what Kurumu had said earlier. Sure he had gotten distracted a bit, but it wasn't like he hadn't done any work. His thoughts were interrupted when Tsukune spoke up.

"What are you talking about! You've always been getting along well right? Look, I'm sure it's just Kurumu-san had something important to do today so that's all it is, right?" Despite trying to be cheerful about it, even Tsukune was wondering what had been wrong with Kurumu. After snapping Ichigo out of his reverie, Ichigo had simply gone to his desk and started working. Tsukune had wanted to ask what was wrong, but he had gotten sidetracked when Moka and Mizore had come up to ask him where Kurumu was going.

Tsukune continued smiling, despite the sad looks everyone else held. He still had faith in Kurumu, even if it was wavering slightly. Then, much to everyone's surprise, Ichigo stood up from his desk and started heading out. "Wait, what are you doing Ichigo?" Moka asked as she got up from her desk also.

"I'm going to look for Kurumu." He simply stated before heading out the door. Everyone looked at the door, before turning to look at Moka who was simply standing there. But before long, she too left the room.

---

"H-Hey, what is all this?" She asked, feeling uncomfortable being dressed in her gym uniform in front of this guy. "Why do I have to change into gym shorts for a date?"

"It's a pretend photo shoot!" Nagare exclaimed as his slimy hands grasped the camera hanging from his neck. "Oh Kurumu-chan, you look real good in those!" With amazing dexterity that seemed unlikely for a scrawny person like him, he took photos of Kurumu in rapid succession, one after another. He took ten pictures in just three seconds.

Realizing what he was doing, Kurumu got annoyed and even more embarrassed as she tried covering her _assets_. "This isn't what I meant by a date!" She exclaimed, "Stop acting like a—"

"Oh, are you sure about talking to me like that?" Nagare interrupted her, eyeing her with a sadistic look.

"Uh…"

His visible eye shined with malevolence as he spoke, "I have this special ability of finding out what a girl's secrets are. I know a lot about you Kurumu-chan!"

Then he leaned in closer to Kurumu, who backed away slightly from the look of his repulsive face. "For example, stuff like this and stuff like that…" He whispered the rest to Kurumu as her face continually got redder and redder.

"Hentai!' She exclaimed before setting a good distance between them.

"Maybe I'll just tell ev-er-y-thing to Ichi-kun, hmm?" He slyly said, knowing that he had her cornered.

Panic struck her as she replied in a dejected manner, "Why do you know about Ichigo? Stop… anyone but Ichigo…"

Knowing that she was beaten, he pulled out a maid outfit as he exclaimed, "Then how about we do this cosplay!"

Kurumu looked at the costume before she resigned to her fate and grabbed the dress. As she walked away, her name was called out and grabbed her attention. Turning around, her eyes widened in surprise. "Ichigo!" Then she looked a little to the left and noticed someone else. "Moka?"

"Kurumu." "Kurumu-chan!" Ichigo and Moka called out respectively.

"So, you're Ichi-kun huh?" Nagare spoke, catching said person's attention along with Moka's.

"Who are you?" Ichigo asked, his voice firm and rigid. In response, he got a smile from Nagare as his body began deforming. Protrusions that looked like thin, round pipes sprouted out from his face, which seemed to be melting. Ichigo got into a battle stance, but since he didn't have Zangetsu with him, he'd have to this the old fashioned way.

"Me? I'm Kurumu's boyfriend! Right Kurumu-chan?" He said as one of his eyes poked out from a stem-like protrusion. The stem with his eye twisted and grew until it was able to see behind him without him having to turn his head.

Kurumu stood still, unsure of what to do. On one hand, she knew Ichigo could kick this guy's ass… but at the same time, what if he told Ichigo all the stuff he said to her and showed him the pictures? Would Ichigo think less of her? Could she potentially lose him as a love interest, maybe even altogether?

"Well?" Nagare asked as his eye wiggled around in the socket of the stem. Kurumu swallowed the lump in her throat, frightened at the words she was about to utter.

But she didn't have to. "Bastard! Leaver her alone!" Ichigo yelled out before disappearing. Before anyone knew it Ichigo had Shunpo'd behind the slug-like monster and tried elbowing him in the back of the neck. Sadly, this didn't work since his soft body cushioned the blow to the nerves. Then to Ichigo's surprise, another one of those pipe-like protrusions spontaneously jutted out and hurled gas into his face. With a cough, he staggered back and fell, his entire body numb and weak.

'_W-What the hell is this? What's happening to me?'_ Ichigo thought as he struggled to move a muscle. But with all his might, his limbs would not respond to any command. He lay there, paralyzed and weak.

"Ufufu… it looks like you've gotten a taste of my power. And now, you can't fight anymore!" Came Nagare's slow and distorted voice, which sounded as if he was gargling on his own slime. Slowly, he crawled over to Ichigo before wrapping a tentacle around Ichigo's neck and lifting him up. "Kurumu is mine! We're going to have so much fun with me taking pictures an—"

Suddenly, a powerful aura caused the slug monster to loosen its grip. It dropped Ichigo and turned around and found the aura coming from a pissed off Kurumu. "Don't… touch him!" Came Kurumu's low and dangerous voice. Wings sprouted from her back, ripping through her shirt as her fingers transformed to foot-long claws. Slowly, she lifted up her head and looked into the slug's eyes, shocking and horrifying it at the same time. Kurumu's pupils were gone and all that was left was a faint purple hue. Blue rings pulsed outward from her eye where her pupil should've been and swept across the land. A moment passed before the ground began shaking.

Wailing moans were heard from all around group as trees began screeching and swaying. Then, tree roots sprung from the ground and waved about in frenzy. "What's going on! The tree roots are attacking!" It said as it tried dodging the roots in vain. Before long, it was wrapped up and could not escape.

"I'll never forgive you…" Kurumu hissed menacingly. "I'll never forgive you if you lay a hand on Ichigo!" Power exploded from her, shredding the ground beneath her as even more roots rose to attack the slug monster.

But that was not all it should've been afraid of. The trees themselves now began attacking as they launched themselves at it. Unable to dodge, it took on the attacks full on and was battered mercilessly by the possessed trees. More roots and branches clung onto the slug, closing off its already slim chances for escaping. "My… My body, it won't move!" The voice rasped as the breath was squeezed out of it.

"Take this!" High above, an angry Kurumu dove down with nails extended. In less than a second her nails sliced cleanly across the monster's stomach. A deep, but non-mortal wound. He would live to make use of the lesson learned here.

Both Ichigo and Moka lay sprawled on the ground, stunned. What surprised them even more was that it had all been an illusion. Soon the tree roots disappeared, leaving unscathed ground. The trees themselves had never moved from their original spot. It looked like nothing had happened save for the blood spattered across the ground that belonged to the slug monster.

Kurumu, feeling weak from her actions, crawled over to Ichigo. She sat in front of him with her legs tucked beneath her. Ichigo, who was resting against a tree, waited for her to speak. "I'm sorry." She finally said as she hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry for saying those things to you Ichigo… I… I… I didn't mea—"

She was cut off when a large and warm hand placed itself firmly on her shoulder. She blushed from the touch, but looked up at Ichigo with eyes that held unshed tears. "It's alright. Something must've happened and that's why you left. I get it."

Ichigo's simple statement filled Kurumu's heart with joy and made her smile. However, one other person there was eyeing the two's interaction with a critical eye. Moka, despite being glad that Kurumu was alright, did not like the closeness between Ichigo and Kurumu. Unbeknownst to Ichigo and Kurumu, Moka's Rosario shined a bright red as it spoke to Moka in a calm, but serious voice. _"Ichigo is yours, he is our future mate."_

Moka nodded as she continued staring at the two, an unknown and powerful emotion brimming inside of her.

---

Soon, they returned to the classroom and where greeted by Yukari, who held the envelope that Kurumu had hidden. "I found this in the box Kurumu!"

"Yea, why didn't tell us you were being targeted?" Tsukune came up and asked.

Ashamed, Kurumu rubbed her arm in a self-comforting motion as she tried to come up with an answer. Instead, Ichigo spoke up for her. "Mah, it's alright. She's back so let's get back to work."

Kurumu looked up at Ichigo, surprised that he had defended her. Her cheeks stained a pink hue as a smile played across her face. And then she noticed his hand simply hanging there at his side. Slowly, her right hand moved, inching closer to Ichigo's hand. But just as they were about to touch Ichigo had moved to sit down at his desk. _'Dammit! I missed my chance.'_ She thought in annoyance before she smiled again. _'There will be other chances.'_

Moka had noticed Kurumu's little action and frowned. She had wanted to slap her hand away, but then something occurred to her. What was going on? Why was she so upset? She looked down at her Rosario and noticed its dull red centerpiece. She gasped when it took on the shape of a slitted eye and looked at her. But as soon as it appeared, it was gone. She got the feeling she would need to talk to her other self soon.

Minutes passed by and the group began chattering away like normal as they worked on their newspaper. Smiles and laughs were exchanged as they helped one another. As the hours passed, the group grew weary from the work. The energy of the group slowly drizzled to a stop as one by one, heads lay themselves against the desks, fast asleep. Soon, all that was heard was silence.

They were all unaware of the events that would soon unfold.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Late chapter, I know. College and whatnot. I actually had writer's block until two days ago when a MARVELOUS idea occurred to me. Let's hope if I'm able to unravel it in a well thought out way.**


	9. Black Suits

**Note: I'm basing my story off the manga chapters of Rosario Vampire, not the anime. So there might be things here that are not in the anime. Just a heads up in case some of you are like "Wha….?"**

**Quote of the day: "Draw on me!"**

**-Awesome Crossing Redux **

**XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Moka looked at the letter in her hand in silence. Her inner self had told her that there were two ways to unlock the Rosario. She currently only remembered one of them, and when Moka had listened to the explanation, she had been shocked. If what her inner self had said was true, then she _needed_ to mail this letter to her father.

Tentatively, she pushed the letter into the opening of the mailbox. The deed was done and now she wondered how her father would react to her letter. She backed away before turning around and heading to class.

---

When the person on the other line spoke up with a curious hello, Ichigo hesitated.

"Hello?" The voice asked again. Ichigo took one last breath before replying.

"Yo…" Silence was heard for a moment, then the person on the other line erupted into high-pitched squeal of joy.

"Ichi-nii! Ichi-nii!" The excited voice paused for a moment, and when it came back, it sounded distant, "Karin-chan! Ichi-nii is on the phone!"

At this, Ichigo couldn't help but smile. It had been a while since he had spoken to his family. No doubt Yuzu had probably worried about him non-stop. He knew she would be the first one to answer the phone, she always was. His thoughts were brought back to reality when he heard Karin on the phone. "Hey Ichi-nii."

But before he could reply, Yuzu was on the line again. "Ichi-nii! How's school going? Are you eating good food? You're not getting into fights are you? Do you have a girlfriend yet? When can we come visit you? Wha—"

"Hold on Yuzu!" Ichigo commanded in an annoyed tone… but at the same time, he was happy to hear that he was missed by his family.

"Whatever you say Ichi-nii!" Yuzu chirped back happily, knowing Ichigo was happy and just pretended to be annoyed.

Ichigo gave a sigh as a small smile crossed his face. The next words he spoke were in a soft and gentle tone, "But I'm doing fine Yuzu. Things are going well here. There's never really a dull day here, it's always interesting. And…" He really didn't know how to tell the next part without lying, "I haven't gotten into any… _real_ fights… Er…"

"Ichi-nii!" Came Yuzu's berating voice. Somehow, Ichigo knew that would happen. But he never could lie to his sisters.

"Relax Yuzu," Ichigo heard Karin placate the younger sister, "That's the way Ichigo is, you can't change him no matter how many times you try. It's almost like his _duty_ to get into fights."

"But… But…" Yuzu whined. Ichigo however, picked up on Karin's hint and what she was referring too. So he played along.

"Don't worry about it Yuzu," Ichigo said as he tried to soothe the girl's nerves. "I'll be fine so you don't need to worry, alright?"

Silence reigned dominant for a couple of seconds before Yuzu gave a harsh sigh. "If you say so Ichi-nii… but when I come over to visit, you better make sure you don't have any bruises!"

"I get it Yuzu, don't worry!" Ichigo said before giving a light chuckle. And somehow, he knew that both Karin and Yuzu were smiling from the other side of the phone.

"Are you eating healthy though? I know you'd prefer to eat junk food if I don't cook!" Yuzu asked in a rather motherly tone of voice.

"Yea, yea... I'm actually cooking my own food." Ichigo replied.

Ten second pause.

"And you're still alive?" Yuzu asked, stunning and embarrassing the young Substitute Shinigami.

"My cooking is not _that_ bad Yuzu!"

"Yes it is." He heard Karin reply back. "Remember that time you cooked for Yuzu because she was sick and you spilled it on the floor?"

"Yea…?"

"The food _ate_ part of the floor." Karin simply stated.

"I've gotten better…" Ichigo replied indignantly.

"I hope so for your sake Ichi-nii." Karin retorted, mirth evident in her otherwise stoic voice.

Then, Yuzu spoke up once again. "Hey Ichi-nii, maybe I should cook some food and send it over to you?"

Both Karin and Ichigo replied with a quick, "Bad idea."

A bit taken back by the quick response, Yuzu asked why not. Ichigo simply said, "It wouldn't survive the trip. It'd spoil by the time it got here."

"Oh…" Yuzu replied with an unmistakable embarrassed tone.

"Mah, it's alright Yuzu. I appreciate the thought."

"Tee-hee…"

For a moment, there was a calm silence between them. They were enjoying their time with each other as long as possible since Ichigo wouldn't get many other times to call home. But all good times had to end and someone had to break the silence.

"It was good to hear from you Ichi-nii… we know you're busy so we'll hang up now." Ichigo was surprised to find Karin speak up. He guessed she must've really missed him since she never took the initiative in conversations. This brought a smile to his face as he replied.

"Ah thanks Karin. I actually have to get to class now." Ichigo momentarily had to pull his ear away from the phone when Yuzu had yelled out a disappointed 'NOO!.

"It's alright Yuzu, I'll make sure to call one more time within the next month or two."

"Promise?"

Ichigo smiled. "I promise Yuzu."

"Alright then," Ichigo could almost hear the smile in her voice, "We'll talk to you later then Ichi-nii!"

"Bye Yuzu… bye Karin."

Ichigo smiled when they both gave a unanimous, "Bye Ichi-nii!" And with those last words, he hung up the phone just in time to be surprised by one Akashiya Moka.

"Boo!"

"AAACK!" Ichigo as yelled as he jumped forward before twirling around to point at Moka as if she had done a horrible deed.

"What was that for?!" He asked, an annoyed tick appearing on his forehead.

Moka simply giggled as she asked, "Was that your family?"

Ichigo simply looked at her before taking a breath to calm himself down. "Yea, those were my sisters, Karin and Yuzu.

Moka gave a warm smile as she said, "That sounds nice. I wish I could meet your family."

Ichigo blinked… and then his imagination ignited into life. He could just picture his dad trying to 'test' out Moka and doing every possible thing to embarrass him. He would get into a fight with his dad, which would probably end up wrecking the house, and then he would have to run away with Moka in tow. Somehow, he got the feeling that Moka, or any of the others wouldn't be meeting his family any time soon.

"Ah… sure. Maybe some time in the future." _'The_ far_ future'_ Ichigo added as an afterthought.

"Oh! The bell is about to ring, we should get to class soon!" Moka reminded Ichigo, who nodded and proceeded to follow her to class.

---

As class ended, Moka and Ichigo headed out to lunch. Curiously, no one else did. It seemed Kurumu and the others were busy with their own business. But Moka didn't mind. This was _exactly_ what she needed: Some alone time with Ichigo.

"It's been going well I guess." Ichigo said as he placed the cafeteria food onto his tray.

"I'm glad Ichigo. I've been having such a hard time with math; it's really weird that humans need to learn all these things just to create a life for themselves don't you think?" She asked as they sat down at the end of a lunch table. The cafeteria was relatively empty since most ate outside.

Ichigo momentarily froze before thinking up a quick reply. "Yea, I guess…."

"I hate humans." She said from out of nowhere, shocking the orange-haired boy.

"E-Eh?" Ichigo suttered. "How come?"

Moka bit her lip as a dark emotion played through her eyes, one that Ichigo had never seen: Anger. "You know… I… I actually went to a human school up through middle school." She began as a pang of hurt echoed its way through her voice. Almost as if the memory itself was painful. "I was isolated since humans didn't believe in monsters. It made me feel alone and people would often pick on me. I never made any real friends, and any friends that I thought I had made only betrayed me in the end."

As Ichigo listened to her woes, he couldn't help but think that he should definitely keep to himself that he's human. But he also couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He knew what it was like to be isolated, but unlike her, he actually had some friends to support him. Long-time friends like Tatsuki and Chad had always helped him. So now, he carefully selected his words.

"What would you say if I was human?" Ichigo asked in a casual manner.

Moka seemed to ponder about it for a bit before she arrived with an answer. "I really don't know. I mean, obviously you're not human since no human can do what you can."

She looked up at him before a blush stained her cheeks. "I… I guess if you _were_ human, I might make an exception."

Ichigo blinked and felt like sighing. But he didn't because that might've looked suspicious. "Ah, well thanks Moka. It's… good to know that you wouldn't bite my head off if I were a human." Ichigo said with a nervous chuckle.

Moka gave a smile that was borderline feral as she leaned in a bit closer to whisper to Ichigo. "I wouldn't bite off your head, I'd suck you dry!" Then she leaned back with a smile, acting as if those words hadn't scared the crap outta Ichigo.

Then again, she _couldn't_ know how much that had scared Ichigo. That would blow his cover. So Ichigo simply went with the flow as he replied, "You'd probably get sick if you drank too much though."

Moka giggled and Ichigo was relieved that his nervousness hadn't shown. Then, a thought occurred to Moka as she exclaimed, "Oh yea! We're handing out the newspaper we all worked hard on tomorrow right?"

Ichigo nodded as Moka continued in an excited tone, "Since everyone worked so hard on it, wouldn't it be great if a lot of people read it?"

"Yea…" Ichigo gave any automatic reply as his mind mulled over Moka's words and reactions. He could not let Moka find out he was human… but then again, she didn't have a reason to think he was. After all, physically speaking, no human could do what he could. So with that assurance in mind, he pushed the thought to the back of his head and focused on something else.

For a moment, it was quiet save for the clatter of plates and silverware. Then Ichigo noticed that Moka hadn't taken a single bite out of her food. "You haven't eaten a single thing Moka."

Moka blinked before looking down at her food. "Yea, for some reason I don't have much of an appetite. I guess I haven't been feeling too well."

Ichigo simply stared at her before he saw Moka's eyes light up as she seemed to realize something. "Oh!" She exclaimed as she brought up her hands in front of her and clasped them. She leaned close to Ichigo as her eyes seemed to sparkle. "I bet it's because I haven't sucked on your blood in I don't know how long!"

At those words, Ichigo's body froze. He really didn't know how to reply to that. He didn't even have the energy to sweatdrop, so shocked was he. When his mind rebooted, he said the first thing that came to mind. "NOO!" He yelled before getting up and walking… running away.

"Come on Ichigo! Let me suck your blood! Just a little?" Moka asked happily as she trailed behind the frantic Shinigami.

---

Ichigo spent the rest of the day trying to escape the hungry vampire. She had managed to get close a few times, but a quick shunpo had remedied that. Now it was nighttime and Ichigo really needed to get some sleep. But even though he hadn't seen Moka in over an hour, she would undoubtedly be waiting for him at the entrance of his dorm building.

'_So far so good.'_ Ichigo thought as he hid behind a tree. Ichigo craned his head just enough so that he could see whether or not Moka was at the entrance. Ichigo gave a relieved sigh when he noticed she wasn't there.

But his relief was short lived for as he turned his head back, he was assaulted by a wave of pink.

*Chuu!*

"GahHAAA!" Ichigo screamed as Moka feasted on him without remorse!

Moka hadn't been hungry, she had been absolutely _ravenous_. Those were his thoughts as he fell to his knees, feeling weak and exhausted while Moka paraded and skipped around, basking in an ecstatic glow.

"You're blood is the best Ichigo! So tasty, so amazing! The thickness, the richness, its warmth and quality! It's all so GOOD! Mmmmm!" Moka ecstatically said while hugging herself as if she were trying to keep the pleasure from escaping.

"Y-Yea… glad to be of service." Ichigo replied in a sullen voice. He was holding one hand to his face, trying to keep himself from losing consciousness. He probably would if he tried standing up.

Another surprise came as Moka leaned down and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "Thanks for the blood Ichigo, I really do appreciate it. If you didn't give me any blood, I would have starved to death by now!"

'_Yea… except I don't give you my blood, you hunt me down.'_ Ichigo had wanted to say, but instead said, "Yea… no problem."

After he said those words, all had gone quiet for a moment. Moka blushed when Ichigo looked up to see her since she had gone quiet and still. It could've been because he wasn't thinking clearly from the lack of blood, but somehow, the moonlight that surrounded her made her seem… angelic. But then that image distorted as a Moka with silver hair and red eyes, grinning at him evilly appeared before fading back to the Moka standing before him. It was the same Moka who had transformed and had nearly killed Kurumu. And now the place she had kissed felt like it was on fire, burning its way into his skin and flowing through his veins. But that feeling also subsided and when Ichigo came back to reality, he noticed that Moka was asking him something.

Moka's blush deepened as she noticed Ichigo staring intently at her. "W-What is it Ichigo?" She asked as she turned her head away slightly from embarrassment.

After a second, the question finally seemed to seep through to his head and he replied. "Ah, it's nothing. You… looked different for a bit."

Now a confused Moka asked, "Different? How so Ichigo?"

Ichigo simply shook his head as he got up slowly. "Mm… never mind. It's probably the blood loss affecting my head." He said as he staggered a little.

Again, Moka blushed as she apologized to Ichigo. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to take so much blood, I was… hungry."

"Ravenous." Ichigo corrected, making Moka blush a deeper red. "Mah, it's alright. I just need to get some rest and I'll be good to go."

"I'm sorry Ichigo!" Moka apologized again as she gave a small bow.

Ichigo sighed as he rubbed his temples. Despite having lost a lot of blood he could feel his veins pulsing. The signs of an encroaching headache. "I said it's alright Moka. Besides, we need to get some rest if we want to get our stand ready before school starts."

Moka smiled as she nodded. "You're right Ichigo. I'll see you tomorrow then." With those final words, Ichigo and Moka parted. One of them would be having nightmares tonight.

---

"Good morning…Ichigo?" Kurumu began saying before she realized that Ichigo looked absolutely… dead….

"Are you alright Ichigo?" Kurumu asked as she waved a hand in front of his empty eyes.

"Ha…ha… yea." Ichigo replied in a zombie-like fashion. Then, his eyes began to brighten as he blinked, looking around, "How did I get here?"

Kurumu now truly began to panic. This wasn't like ichigo, not at all! "Ichigo, I think I need to take you to the infirmary." She said as she grabbed his hand and began pulling him towards the main building.

But that failed since Ichigo didn't budge. She looked behind her and noticed Ichigo's usual scowl on his face. "It's alright Kurumu, I'm not sick. I just didn't sleep very well last night." He said before letting go of her hand.

Despite feeling a bit miffed that Ichigo had let go, she smiled, glad that Ichigo was back to normal. "Well, if you're having trouble sleeping, would you like to sleep on my lap again?" She asked in a teasing voice.

She was pleasantly rewarded when the tips of Ichigo's ears turned red as he looked away before replying, "N-No! I didn't even know I was sleeping on your lap!"

"But you're not denying it wasn't pleasant are you?" Kurumu retorted with a smile on her face. Now the blush spread from Ichigo's ears to his cheeks.

"Sh-Shut up!" He said as he gave her an angry stare. Although he wasn't angry at her, he was angry that he was getting embarrassed so easily.

Kurumu simply giggled. Then, their eyes locked. They stared at each other for a few seconds, unaware of the materializing pan that was about to ruin the moment.

"Gah!" Kurumu said as she fell backwards when a large pan hit her on the head.

"Stay away from Ichigo you portable milk jug!" Yukari yelled as she waved her wand again, sending another pan towards Kurumu's head. Kurumu dodged that one and stomped up to Yukari.

"What did you say you flat-chested girl?" Kurumu growled angrily as an annoyed tick appeared on her forehead.

"I said stay away from Ichigo! He's Moka and mine's and we're going to have a threesome in the future!"

Yukari's proclamation sent Ichigo into a violent coughing fit while Kurumu simply stood there, staring with a dumbfounded expression.

A moment later, Moka arrived to the scene and was curious why everyone had such different expressions. Kurumu looked like she was trying to catch flies with her mouth and it seemed Ichigo needed a glass of water. Yukari looked normal as she smiled and giggled happily.

"Hey everyone." She greeted. Kurumu and Ichigo snapped out of their stupor before returning the greeting.

"Well are you guys ready to work hard today? Let's hand out a lot of newspapers!" Moka enthused with a smile on her face. Ichigo and Kurumu wearily nodded their heads, still shocked by what Yukari had said. But they soon forgot when they got to work later on.

---

After Tsukune and Mizore had arrived, they begun setting up their stand, which simply consisted of a table lined end to end by stacks of neatly piled newspapers. At each stack stood the newspaper club, minus Gin, all ready to begin handing out newspapers the moment the gate opened.

"Let's work hard Ichigo!" Kurumu said as she grabbed a couple of newspapers, ready to hand them out.

Ichigo nodded his head and he too grabbed a couple of newspapers. Soon, the gate opened and students flooded into the campus. Busy chattering was heard, like the buzzing of Cicadas. Most of the newspaper club was nervous, since this was the first time doing anything like this. But they were ready.

"We're the newspaper club!" Moka said proudly in a loud voice, "Please take a copy of the newspaper we made! The case of the disappearing female students… as well as many other happenings and news about the Academy are written in it!"

A couple of students noticed the pink-haired vampire and proceeded to take a newspaper. "Thank you very much!" Moka and the others said gratefully.

---

Ichigo suddenly felt a massive wave of reiatsu hit him. He looked up, ignoring the angry person who wanted their newspaper only to be refused by a distracted Ichigo. Kurumu noticed this and tugged on his sleeve a bit as she said, "Ichigo… you're supposed to give them the newspaper, not tease them!"

But Ichigo simply pointed forward. Kurumu turned to look where he was pointing… and her jaw dropped. A massive stampede of boys came rushing towards the stand at high speed, all babbling incoherently. As they got closer, Ichigo could hear sentences like "OMFHAXOR THEIR SO HAWT!" and other gibberish that he couldn't make out. But judging from the looks on their faces, they were probably entranced by the beauty of the girls.

But they couldn't really complain since the excited boys _were_ taking their newspapers. Whether or not they would read them, who knew, but because of them they were getting good publicity. "Yahoo!" Kurumu enthused excitedly, "I'm so happy that our newspaper was a big hit Ichigo!" She hugged Ichigo with all her might, making Ichigo's ears turn slightly red from the feeling of two soft things pressing against his chest.

"Kurumu-chan! You don't need to hug Ichigo! We're still handing out newspapers!" Moka yelled at Kurumu, who simply stuck out her tongue at her.

"What's the problem? Ichigo is mine after all. I know him _way_ better than you do!" She spoke with pride.

"No!" She retorted, making Kurumu let go of Ichigo and up to her face.

"Why you!" Now their foreheads pressed against each other, sparks flying between the eyes. Even an audible sizzle was heard as they continued with their 'fight'!

"Don't you think you should do something about it Ichigo?" A worried Tsukune asked.

"I probably should." Ichigo simply replied. Then he heard a scream, which caused him to turn his head. In the distance, he saw Yukari running away from a bunch of boys that were chasing her. He would've helped, but when he saw those pans mysteriously materialize above them, he knew those boys were done for.

Ichigo gave a long, weary sigh. Just for one day, one day was all he's asking. Just for one day, he'd like the day to go by peacefully… without any incidents. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear his Hollow cackling and even Zangetsu give a chuckle of amusement.

'_Those bastards.'_ Ichigo thought somberly.

---

But somewhere in the interiors of the dark, underground corridors of the academy, a certain group was not taking too kindly to the newspaper club's efforts.

"What? The Newspaper Club?" The figure asked as his hands trembled while holding the newspaper.

"Yes sir! They appear to be currently in the process of distributing their newspaper in front of the school gate." The other figure replied with a bow before finishing, "Naturally, without _our_ permission might I add."

The other figure licked its lips, an excitement trembling within him, before crumbling up the newspaper and tossing it over his side. "The Newspaper Club… so it's that gang _again!_"

"Those _**scum!**_ Disregarding us and acting like saviors of justice!" He said, disgust evident in his voice. But as he walked out of the dark room, a smile crossed his face as he thought of how to deal with the newspaper club.

---

"How's it going? Are you giving out lots of papers?"

"Oh! Gin-sempai!" Moka greeted as she saw him approach.

He smiled as he looked at club all busy handing out newspapers. "Oh, looks like it's a pretty big hit eh? We're gonna need to start charging for these."

"We've already passed out half of them!" Moka said with a smile. "It really makes me happy!"

"Speaking of which, why don't you help us out?" Tsukune interjected as he handed out another newspaper.

Gin simply laughed at him before saying, "Yea right. Don'cha know boring work like that is the job of the underlings?"

"WHAT!" A ticked off Tsukune protested, "NO INTEREST FROM OUR CLUB LEADER?!"

"Cuz he's only interested in his **H** stuff!" Yukari quipped, "Just like a stray dog during mating season!"

An annoyed tick appeared on Gin's forehead as he walked up to Yukari. "Heeeey. As if a flat-chested girl like you was good for anything other than badmouthing people!"

"Hey! I'm famous for my flatchestedness!" She retorted.

"Well then how about I rub them and rub them and make then big huh?" He said before Yukari jumped back with shocked expression.

"That's sexual harassment!" She said as she waved her wand. A pan materialized and hit Gin in the back of his head. The others laughed when they saw Gin fall on the ground, a dazed look on his face.

But their fun was cut short. Suddenly, noises of distress came from the crowd and all turned to see what was causing the incident. A group of students wearing a black uniform made their way through the crowd, mainly by force. Their destination became apparent when the stopped in front of the newspaper club stand. Now that they were closer, Ichigo could see that each was wearing a sort of band on their left arm with the insignia "Police Committee" on it.

"What's going on?" Tsukune wondered out loud.

"Oh crap, it's the black suits!" Gin said, his face taking on a serious look.

Ichigo looked around, noticing how the crowd was acting. Though he could clearly see they were agitated, no one dared to make a move against these 'black suits' or whatever they were. One figure, probably the leader, stepped up and stopped just in front of the stand. He bowed slightly before speaking, "Salutations! I am Kuyou, the manager of the public safety commission. I am pleased to make your acquaintance!"

"_Public safety?" _Everyone was having similar thoughts. Who were these guys and what did they want with them?

"Public safety… so… you're the ones maintaining the peace at the Academy? What can we do for you…" Moka began saying before Gin moved in front of her, blocking her path. His back was to her and his arms were slightly extended, as if protecting her.

"Gin-sempai?" Moka asked, surprised at Gin's behavior.

"Huhu, so you're the newspaper club?" Kuyou said with a pleasant enough smile. "Well, your work is quite good." Suddenly, his face darkened as he looked at the group.

"However, who gave you permission to hand out a newspaper with these contents? We don't recall inspecting this!" His voice held a menacing edge as he looked at each member of the group. His eyes momentarily stopped on Ichigo before his focus shifted to Gin.

For a moment it was quiet before Kuyou suddenly kicked their table stand, breaking it in half and knocking over all the remaining newspapers. Pages were scattered about as most of the newspaper group gasped. Ichigo however, remained with his usual scowl, which looked just a bit more menacing than usual.

"Do you understand that it can cause problems for us?!" Kuyou began yelling as his voice radiated the anger he was feeling, "When a gang like you selfishly does whatever it wants and disturbs the peace and order of this Academy?!"

The rest of the black suits swarmed the stand and began kicking the chairs, ripping apart the newspapers, and simply dealing destruction while Kuyou continued with his speech. "Do you understand? We're the ones protecting the peace at the Academy, we, the Public Safety Commission! If you are going to do anything inside these school grounds, you need to get permission from us without fail!"

"Hey stop it!" Kurumu yelled as she tried to plea to Kuyou, "All we were doing was handing out newspapers!"

"It's no use! You'll only provoke these guys!" Gin stated as he tried to stop Kurumu from doing anything.

But he didn't need to do anything. One of the other black suits stepped in front of Kuyou and launched a ring from her mouth. The ring wrapped itself around Kurumu's hand as she looked at it with disgust, "What is this stuff? It's all sticky!"

"I see the newspaper club is filled with lowlifes like always." The girl said in a jeering tone.

"Wh-Why you…" Kurumu was feeling insulted, and rightly at that. Kurumu was a Succubus, one of the higher orders of monsters! How dare she say such a thing?

The girl smiled as she spotted a newspaper on the ground close to her. She walked up to it and lifted her foot, ready to tear it apart. But before she could do so, the untarnished newspaper disappeared before her foot hit the ground. She looked around, wondering it had gone.

"What the hell do you guys think you're doing!" An angered Ichigo yelled as he held the newspaper in his hand. His scowl gave the weaker members of the Police Committee chills while Kuyou met Ichigo's eyes with a piercing look of his own.

"And just who are you?" Kuyou asked as he looked at the orange-haired boy in front of him.

"I asked you first." Ichigo retorted, causing a look of annoyance to play against Kuyou's visage. Nonetheless, he replied.

"I am merely trying to keep the peace from… ruffians like you." He said those words as if he had tasted something disgusting and wanted to spit them up.

But this didn't bother Ichigo. He was used to being called that so it no longer bothered him. He was bothered though by Kuyou, who resembled Byakuya in away. Their arrogance and their I'm-holier-than-thou attitude always bugged a person like Ichigo.

"You don't say. Then you may want to arrest the one standing in front of me." Ichigo smirked when he noticed Kuyou pick up on the insult.

"Ichigo, what are you doing?" Gin asked, tension from the standoff evident in his voice. Ichigo didn't reply and merely kept staring at Kuyou.

But Kuyou wasn't liking this standoff. It was drawing too much attention and he couldn't deal with this gang properly in a crowded area like this. He would have to retreat for now, but the punishment would more than make up for this little incident.

"You're foolish Ichigo, for standing up to the Police Committee. But we have more pressing matters to attend so we'll be leaving you." Kuyou said as he turned around, but not before adding one last thing. "You'll be kept under tight surveillance. Don't do anything stupid."

Ichigo watched Kuyou's retreating form before it finally disappeared into the distance. He turned around and faced the newspaper club. A strange feeling washed over him as he saw the varying looks on their faces. He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

There was going to be trouble in the future…


	10. Human

**Note: How many think I should change the rating to "M" on this story?**

**Question: How DOES Ichigo's sword stick to his back? I wrote it the way I saw it, but I could be wrong… just a heads up.**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Who were those guys?" Tsukune asked. Currently, they were all picking up the remains of their newspaper stand. The newspapers that weren't badly damaged were being tucked away into a box.

"Those guys are the Public Safety Commission." Gin's eyes took on a serious look as he continued, "In order to protect the peace at the Academy, a militant group was established in order to control evil by force."

"They're the Academy guardians, the Public Safety Commission. They were organized by students and are often called the Academy Police." Gin sighed as he finished. Just talking about those guys wore him out.

"Those guys were the police?! This is the first time I've seen those guys!" A jittery Tsukune asked. But in truth, he was speaking what was on everyone's minds.

"Yea that's right. That's because those guys barely ever actually do anything." Gin replied cooly. "They've become corrupt. Today they're just a Yakuza gang, making their force do the talking while they collect money and tributes. When they said we needed their permission, they were really asking us to pay them off."

"What… I can't believe they're getting away with something so messed up at the Academy!" Moka proclaimed, apprehension evident in her voice.

Gin looked at Moka for a moment before replying, "Nothin' we can do now, we've just gotta give in. We've gotta burn all the newspapers to show them that we're not going to stand up against them, that's the only way to appeal to them."

This surprised and shocked everyone in the group. To give in so easily… what was Gin thinking? Was he that scared of the police? "What! Burn them? But there's a bunch we already handed out!" Kurumu yelled out as she looked at the box in front of her.

"I don't care, just burn them all!" Came Gin's uncharacteristically strict voice, "Nothing's gonna come from picking a fight with these guys. It's best if you don't get involved in old fights!" After those few words, Gin left the group to their thoughts. He knew they were going to be angry at him, but that's the way things needed to be done.

---

"What a loser! Gin-sempai isn't even thinking like a man!" Kurumu said as she got up from her seat. They were all sitting in one of the outdoor lunch areas, which consisted of two small round tables surrounded by four chairs.

"And why is he the one who leaves first again?" She said, feeling fed up with Gin's wimpy behavior. _'He's just too afraid of those guys'_

Kurumu's eyes wandered towards the box in the middle of the table. Suddenly feeling resolute, she grabbed the box as she stated, "If it comes to this, I'll just pass out the newspapers by myself! We don't have to burn them like sempai says!"

"Kurumu-chan…" Moka began, trying to placate the enraged Succubus, "But wait Kurumu-chan, Gin-sempai probably has his own good reasons for this…"

"Hmpf! No way! That guy's head is just overloaded with perverted thoughts." Kurumu simply replied.

Moka looked to Ichigo, as if seeking help. Ichigo caught on to this and simply sighed before speaking, "Kurumu is right. We shouldn't just give up."

Moka's mouth hung wide open as she listened to Ichigo's statement. That really wasn't that kind of help she had been looking for. But Kurumu didn't mind at all, she was glad that her destined one agreed with her. In fact, she was so glad that the old habit of burying Ichigo's face in her chest suddenly resurfaced. In short, Ichigo was now suffocating.

"Thank you so much Ichigo for agreeing with me!" Then she let go of him and took him by the arm, saying, "Let's go Ichigo! Let's do our best to hand out the remaining newspapers!"

Before Ichigo could reply, and gain back his breathe, he was dragged by the arm to who knows where. The others could only look on as Ichigo was forcefully dragged away.

---

"I think we need a plan." Ichigo said after having walked with Kurumu in silence for a good distance.

"No." Kurumu simply said as she stopped, holding the box of newspapers close to her chest. "All we really need to do is just fight these guys Ichigo. If they're corrupt like Gin says they are, the only way to fight against these guys is to well… _fight_."

Ichigo sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He stared at Kurumu's back as he contemplated on what to say. But his thoughts were cut short when something shot out from one of the trees and stuck to the newspaper box. Kurumu gave a small cry of distress when the box was pulled away from her and up into the dead trees.

"Don't make me laugh, you really are too stupid!" Ichigo and Kurumu looked up. Their eyes widened when they recognized this girl. It was the same 'Black Suit' as the other day!

"It appears you have no interest in being a good student and obeying us." She gave a small scoff before smiling at them, "As I thought, I should crush you all once and for all right here!"

She used a sort of sticky strand, the same one used from earlier to lower herself down from the tree branch. Behind her was an outdoor furnace that seemed oddly misplaced. But then again, many things at the Academy were outta whack. And both Ichigo and Kurumu knew what she was going to do with those newspapers.

"Stop!" Ichigo demanded as he took a step forward. "Why are you doing this? We haven't done anything!" Ichigo's tone held anger, and rightfully so. They hadn't done anything other than report the news, why were they trying to shut them down?

"It's too late to say that now… or perhaps you don't know?" The girl said, piquing Kurumu and Ichigo's interest. "We've been looking at the newspaper since last year and long before as a group threatening the Public Safety Commission."

The girl looked at them and noted the surprised looks on their faces. She simply smiled before continuing, "The newspaper club last year were a bunch of fools who had delusions they could change the Academy themselves. They used their published articles to criticize us. We drove their club to the brink of folding."

Gin's previous words came to Ichigo's mind. _'It's best if you don't get involved in old fights.'_ Ichigo clicked his tongue in annoyance, why hadn't Gin told them something important as this earlier? They could've prepared for this sort of situation!

Suddenly, the girl's tone became more rigid and harsh as she continued speaking, "This Academy is a hodgepodge of monsters and it only remains safe because it is under the control of the Public Safety Commission! The newspaper club which doesn't even understand that and yet opposes us deserves to be destroyed!"

Ichigo noticed that since she began talking, she had gotten considerably closer to the furnace. He had to stop her now or else their newspapers would be gone for good. Timing it correctly just as she lifted the box, he Shunpo'd and managed to snatch the box away. When he returned next to Kurumu, he heard her give a happy squeal as she hugged his arm. Ichigo smiled as he looked at the surprised girl, who only moments ago had been ready to burn the papers.

"Bastard…" She cursed as her body began to tremble. She began lifting up her shirt, causing a small blush to creep onto Ichigo's cheeks. But the embarrassment gave way to disgust when eight spider-like legs protruded from her abdomen and hoisted her up in the hair. She gave them a murderous glare. "You still dare to defy the Public Safety Commission! I'll make you PAY!"

She lunged at Ichigo, who was telling himself that he really needed to bring Zangetsu more often. He dodged to the left as she lunged past him, her legs stopping her from impacting against the tree. She 'stood' on the tree, her body vertical as she looked around with the four large eyes that now encompassed the front half of her head.

She spotted Ichigo, who was standing still, his feet firmly planted against the ground. His back was straight, almost as if taunting her to come attack him. The spider-woman answered to this veiled challenge by crossing her mandibles together and producing a sticky substance in between.

Ichigo noticed what she was doing and readied himself. He remembered she had shot something from her mouth at Kurumu earlier. He prepared himself to dodge as the spider-woman seemed to finish what she was doing. He had been right. The woman tilted her head up before spraying a fine web towards Ichigo.

Ichigo simply responded to the attack by using Shunpo once more to escape the attack, frustrating the woman. "Quit running away you insect!" She taunted as she scanned the area. "Your club is doomed, so it'd be best if you surrender this instant!"

--WHAM—

Ichigo had gotten a hold of a large tree branch and proceeded to hit the woman with it. She was knocked clean off her tree and sent flying. Her body bounced a bit before she landed unceremoniously on the ground, her legs sprawled every which way, unconscious.

"Seriously, this is way too easy." Ichigo whispered to himself. Sure he would've liked Zangetsu with him, but hadn't really needed his Zanpaktou. Aside from Kenpachi, no one really posed a challenge for him. And now he wondered why he was getting so battle frenzied these days. He had wanted nothing more than the war to be over, and now that it was, he was wishing for a challenge.

His thoughts were broken when Kurumu came up from behind him and wrapped him in hug. Ichigo gave a noise that was between a squeak and a grunt as he felt two soft things press hard against his back.

"That was amazing Ichigo! You didn't even try did you!" She praised him, unaware of what her words and actions were doing to the poor boy's mind.

But their actions were being monitored. As the lone figure took one last glance, he melted into the shadows.

---

"You said… Keito was defeated?"

The man nodded. Kuyou could feel his anger stir within his chest. "That damn newspaper club!" His words were laced with venom as he spoke, "Do they truly intend to fight with us? They couldn't possibly have forgotten what happened to them last year!"

He brought a hand in front of him, and looked at it while contemplating. "Then so be it, if they are that foolish then we will put an end to them right here and now!" His hand formed into a fist as his next words were spoken with intent. "I'll destroy them with my own hands!"

"You can't just destroy a club for no reason." A voice from the shadows spoke. Kuyou turned around and looked at the figure that just stepped into the light. His eyes widened slightly as recognition registered on his face.

"You are…"

"Heh… but if it's me, I can make them disappear from this Academy completely. Regardless, I'm a little be disabled right now. But in return, how about I teach you the newspaper's club weakpoint?"

Kuyou's eyebrow raised as a malicious smile crossed the figure's face. "The newspaper's club one weak point is the one member's 'true form.'"

"And what might that be Ishigami-san?" Kuyou asked, his interest piqued.

Her smile grew even wider and savored the next words she said, because they would undoubtedly ruin the newspaper club for good! "Aono Tsukune… there is a possibility that he is human!"

---

"A human? In my school? Don't be foolish, there's no way a human could've made it into the Academy. You expect me to believe he's human?" Kuyou asked disbelievingly. How could a human have slipped into such a secret place like Youkai Academy?

"But if he _is_ human… what will you do? Wouldn't that give you an excuse to wipe out the newspaper club for good?" Ishigami retorted, a knowing glint in her eye.

Kuyou regarded the woman in front of him. True, if this Tsukune person was human, he could easily obliterate the newspaper club. But…

"I **would** shut down the newspaper club permanently. But it seems you don't have any proof." He replied plainly.

At that statement, Ishigami smiled. She slipped one hand into her pocket and pulled out a tape. She offered it to Kuyou, who took it with a look of interest in his eyes. "This video… will convince you otherwise."

---

"You friggin' stupid idiots!" An angry Gin yelled at the newspaper club. His annoyance was exaggerated by the giant tick mark on his forehead. "You're saying that not only did you start something with the Black Suits, but you went and beat one of them up?"

"I didn't do anything…" Mizore spoke gently as she too got berated, despite not even being in the fight. "From what I hear… it was Ichigo that beat them up."

Ichigo gulped as he felt all eyes staring at him. Though not all of them were hostile looks, he was still nervous nonetheless. "Well… they _were_ going to burn the newspapers."

"That's no excuse for being an idiot!" Gin yelled as he stomped right up to Ichigo's face. "Next time they come over, I want you to apologize and turn yourself in!"

"What!" Ichigo was now pressing his forehead against Gin, sparks flying between their eyes as the tension rose between them. They growled at each other like dogs trying to claim the Alpha Male title in a pack. But their little 'argument' was broken up when the door swung open, revealing a stern-looking Kuyou.

"You fools, it is much too late for that now." Kuyou said as he moved out of the way and let the other members of the Police swarm the small classroom. "You have raised your hand against us. You are prepared to accept the appropriate judgment are you not?"

"Wait!" Gin beckoned as he stepped in front of Kuyou, "It was just a quarrel wasn't it? Even if she was a member of the student police, you can't shut down our club for that!"

"A quarrel?" Kuyou spoke dangerously, "**Silence**."

His gaze shifted over to Ichigo as he spoke in a commanding tone, "Kurosaki Ichigo, your crime is assaulting Keito, an Academy Police Officer and inflicting wounds upon her. Come with us!"

"What! Keito was the one who started!" Tsukune interjected, not wanting anyone to get into trouble. Suddenly, his body froze as a dreadful feeling washed over him when Kuyou turned his gaze towards him.

"**Fool.** You are coming too Aono Tsukune." Kuyou hissed as Tsukune became surrounded by Police members.

"Wait!" Mizore yelled. For once, her voice came out loud and strong as she tried to protect the man she loved. "Why is Tsukune getting involved? He hasn't done anything!"

Kuyou's eyes narrowed in amusement as he looked at the group. He saw the differing looks on their faces and took it all in, enjoying their desperation. "Heh… what simpletons you all are. Don't you know anything about this boy's secret?"

This got everyone's attention as their eyes' shifted to Tsukune, whose body was frozen stiff. Fear and anxiety were evident on his facial expression and in the way he stood stiffly, almost as if he were encased in a block of eyes. His eyes were wide and sweat began to trickle down the side of his head. Kuyou noticed _all_ of this and enjoyed it **immensely.**

"This boy named Aono Tsukune is suspected of being a **human.**" With those final words, Tsukune fell to the ground, helpless.

'_How… how could they have found out?' _Were both Tsukune and Mizore's one and only morbid thought.

Meanwhile, the others including Gin, Kurumu, Moka, and Yukari all stared at him. Each had different expressions, Tsukune noticed this. But what frightened him the most was how their sympathetic looks had turned stony and seemed to show disappointment. He hung his head, defeated.

"Wha…" Moka's voice was low and quiet. Her face was filled with utter disgust for the boy who she once considered a friend… a friend who had _lied_ about what he was. "How could you?"

As Kuoyuo took in the moment with great pleasure, Tsukune picked up his head and looked at the pink-haired vampire, eyes filled with shame. The floor filled his vision once again, his body suddenly feeling ragged and tired. But he had no time to rest as he was hauled up to his feet by a gloating Kuyou.

"So what is it? Hm?" He asked with amusement evident in his voice. "Are you a spy from the human side? In any case, you know what the rule is for humans who invade the Academy correct?"

"You're not going to do anything to him."

Kuyou let go of Tsukune and looked over at who had spoken. Of course, it was that boy Ichigo. It seemed he was the only one foolish enough to challenge him even at a moment like this. He would have to show him his place then.

Kuyou then unleashed a wave of supernatural energy from his body and hurled it at Ichigo. He smirked when he saw Ichigo visibly recoil from the weight of his power. But as he continued battering Ichigo with his supernatural power, an interesting thing happened that deeply shocked and confused him.

Ichigo laughed.

"That all you got?" Ichigo said as he held his up high, an uncharacteristically vicious grin appearing on his face. In response, Kuyou increased the amount of energy he was pressing against Ichigo. This was a futile attempt as it was all swept away by Ichigo's own spiritual power in a flurry of white energy. If Kuyou's energy had been a flood… then Ichigo's was an ocean.

Everyone in the room braced themselves as the very air around them visibly distorted. What looked like cracks in the air appeared around them, obscuring their vision slightly. Many members of the Police Academy began falling to the ground, clutching their head as pain swept through their bodies. Many found it hard to breathe as energy continued to pour out of Ichigo, who showed not even the slightest signs of fatigue.

Ichigo looked at everyone who had fallen. He was surprised when he felt satisfaction from having overwhelmed them so easily… all except Kuyou, who simply stared at him. He stood rigid with defiance as an angry scowl marred his visage.

"You dare to challenge me… in my own school?" Kuyou spoke in a low tone. Ichigo stopped releasing energy for a moment as he heard out Kuyou's words.

"You dare to challenge **ME?**" Kuyou repeated again as his body was suddenly surrounded in an orange light. He began to tremble as the light increased in intensity. Ichigo stared at his opponent, but began to notice that the room was gradually getting warmer. On alert, Ichigo decided to stop whatever Kuyou was doing before he could carry it out. He used Shunpo to move behind Kuyou. Ichigo raised his fist, intent on knocking him out with just one hit.

Before his fist could hit its target, Ichigo was blown away by a raging flame that erupted from Kuyou's body. Ichigo's scorched body flew through several walls before he skidded to a stop in the main hallway of the school building. He picked himself up and put out the flames that had remained on his school uniform. With a curse muttered beneath his breath, Ichigo quickly hurried back to the classroom, intent on handing Kuyou's own ass back to him.

---

But when he arrived, all the Police Committee was gone. Only the newspaper club members remained. "What happened to Tsukune?" Ichigo asked as he looked around and noticed someone else was missing. "Where's Mizore?"

"Those traitors are gone." Gin spoke up and a sense of uneasiness filled Ichigo. That's right… monsters did not take kindly to humans.

"And you didn't try to stop them?" Ichigo questioned, but only got a stony glare from Gin.

"Why would we? Tsukune was human. He tricked us!" Gin muttered, his voice thin and dry.

Ichigo gritted his teeth as he clicked his tongue in annoyance. He walked past Gin, who looked at him curiously from the corner of his eye. "What are you doing?"

His question was answered when Ichigo pulled out Zangetsu from its confinement and swung it behind his back. Immediately the bandage wrapped itself around the black and white Zanpaktou and clung to Ichigo's back.

"You're not thinking about rescuing them?" Ichigo paused when he realized that voice did not belong to Gin, but was in fact Moka's. It held a certain… tone of disbelief. Almost as if she was asking him why he was even _thinking_ of rescuing them. Ichigo's scowl took on a thoughtful look as he turned his head to stare at Moka.

"I am." Ichigo replied truthfully, not taking his eyes off of Moka's own.

"Why?" She asked in a distraught tone. "Tsukune was _human_… and Mizore knew it. They _lied_ to us." Her eyes pleaded at Ichigo, beckoning him to stop his rescue. "_Why?_"

Ichigo's scowl softened before he turned his back towards Moka, beginning to head out the door. His hand reached for the door knob and pulled it open. He took one last look behind his back and replied, "Because believe it or not… I'm human also." And with that, he left the stunned group.

Especially one Kurono Kurumu.


	11. Fox

"He's human too?" Gin wondered out loud from the chair he was sitting on. So great a shock the news had been that he didn't know if his legs would've been able to keep him upright much longer.

"That… I think he's lying. He… he said it so that we could all rescue Tsukune. He was just being a friend!" Moka tried justifying Ichigo's actions, even if she wasn't too sure about her own words.

"Being a friend to a _human_. Don't tell me ya sympathize with him?" Gin asked as he shot Moka a particularly nasty look. Moka recoiled a bit and hung her head. It's true; Ichigo did try to help out a _human_, of all things.

She looked up when she heard little Yukari's deeply concerned voice. As to whom the concern was focused on, she didn't know until she turned around. There, sitting in a desk in a meditative trance was one Kurono Kurumu as Yukari desperately try to get her attention.

"Hey milk jugs! Are you there?" Yukari frantically called out as she waved a hand in front of her face. But it was of no use, either she was trying really hard to ignore them… or she really was no longer there.

Even though Moka had been fighting with Kurumu for Ichigo's attention, she couldn't help feel sorry for the Succubus. Her insecurities had already won over her, thus she no longer felt any sort of attachment towards Ichigo… but Kurumu… it seemed she hadn't let go so easily. It seemed she wouldn't be getting out of that trance soon.

Or so they thought. They all jumped in their places when Kurumu suddenly brought down a fist, slamming it against the desk and nearly breaking it. Moka looked at Kurumu, and was surprised to find a determined look in her features. Her eyes shined brilliantly and her posture was straight and rigid. She had come to a conclusion.

"A Destined One…." She began in a clear and strong voice, "A Succubus spends time seducing men in order to find their Destined One. Once she has found that one man who steals her heart away, she will forever be with him. No matter who they are… even if they're human."

Suddenly, Kurumu stood up. With newfound affirmation of her belief, she nodded her head and began walking towards the door. Though Ichigo would not need any help, she wanted to be there for him. Because that was the duty of a Succubus to her Destined One… to always be there no matter what.

"Where are you going?" Moka asked, sensing what was going on in Kurumu's mind.

"What are you talking about? I'm going to help Ichigo! It doesn't matter who or what he is, he's still our friend… and _my_ Destined One." Kurumu replied sternly, but then gave a grin that puzzled Moka. "Plus, even if he wasn't my Destined One, I'd help anyway. He hasn't done anything wrong to any of us after all. Why single him out just because he's human? Didn't you hate it when you were singled out because you were a vampire?"

With those final words, Kurumu left. Moka, despite hearing these words could not bring herself to accept them. Humans… they were absolutely disgusting, filthy creatures! But… hadn't she once said that she'd accept Ichigo if he were a human? These conflicting emotions tore away at Moka, regretting nothing. Then, another voice quipped up.

"I'll help milk jugs too!" Yukari proclaimed as she hopped down from her spot on the windowsill. Moka turned to face Yukari only to find her smiling.

"Besides, maybe I'll get that threesome with you and Ichigo if I help him!" And with _those_ last words, Yukari ran out the door.

Finally, only Gin and Moka were left in the room. Moka turned to face Gin, wondering if he had any other 'inspiring' words to say. Instead, she saw a creepy, lecherous smile crawl onto his face. "So…" He asked in a smooth tone as he strode over to Moka slowly, "Do you wanna… you know…"

Moka turned a bright red before she ran out the door, screaming "Pervert!"

Unbeknownst to her, this had been part of Gin's plan. He had sensed her uncertainty and reluctance and thought that his actions would've been effective in getting her out of the room. After all, he himself had been convinced even before Kurumu had finished her little speech. Tsukune was an okay guy since he wasn't as popular as Gin was. That's all that really mattered to him.

"Geez, what annoying kids." Gin muttered with a smile as he too left the room.

---

'_Why is this happening all of a sudden?' _Tsukune wondered as his body shivered from fear of the cold, dark corridor he was walking through. _'How did they find out I'm human? Now everyone else in the club knows too. I'm not going to have anywhere to turn to now…'_

"Tsukune…-kun." Said person looked to his side to find Mizore huddling close to him. She held out a delicate finger in front of her and pointed towards one of the many holding cells. "They couldn't all be… evil people could they?"

Tsukune looked around and began to wonder that also. There were far too many people here to be considered delinquents or even dangerous. Some were simply huddled in the corner, fear and exhaustion showing clearly through their facial expressions. Others were angry and vengeful, but at the same time were equally fearful. Tsukune could only guess that it was related to Kuyou, but he had no idea how true that thought was.

Tsukune flinched as a voice broke through his thoughts. "How dare you falsely imprison me you bastard!" A man from one of the holding cells leaped to the bars, his left arm growing into a monstrous claw that resembled a crab's. He pushed his arm between the bars, ready to decapitate Kuyou as he screamed, "Let me out of here Kuyou!"

Kuyou's impassive face turned into a sadistic grin as he sent out his supernatural power, stopping the man in his tracks. "You low class monster, what do you plan to do to the likes of me?" He asked before sending a torrent of flame towards the man, burning and melting his skin. The man couldn't even yell in pain since the flame had burned the oxygen from his lungs. Soon, he fell to the ground, seemingly dead… but one twitch of his hand indicated he was still alive if barely.

Kuyou then moved towards the bars and placed a foot inside the cell. He placed his foot on the man's head, claiming superiority. "We are the protectors of the peace at this Academy." He began in a sure and proud voice, "The sacred keepers of Justice! Anyone who turns against us is an evildoer who has turned against this very Academy. I must purge such evildoers in the name of Justice in order to make this a beautiful place for only those who obey the law!"

Tsukune looked on in surprise. This man… he actually _believed_ what he was doing was right. He wasn't corrupted, he was simply confused and using his own brand of Justice. _This_ was what he felt was right! And that meant he couldn't be bargained or reasoned with. But he was ripped from his thoughts when Kuyou turned his calm gaze towards him. "Well then… it is your turn Aono Tsukune. Just try showing me your true form like this thing here." He said as he put pressure on the man's head. Tsukune heard a faint gasp come from the man as Kuyou continued to apply pressure.

"If you are a monster then it's easy is it not?" Kuyou asked with a predatory smile upon his face. "You can stop pretending to be a human here and end your transformation."

When Tsukune did nothing, Kuyou's smile merely widened in satisfaction as he continued, "Well hurry up and prove to me that you're not human…

…if you **can**."

And when Tsukune still did not transform, he swung leg, landing a solid blow to Tsukune's stomach. He let out a grunt of pain as he was hurled into one of the bars of the cells before sliding down to the floor. "Hurry and transform and stop wasting my time!" Kuyou demanded as he sent another kick, this time to Tsukune's face and knocked him back through a door into a room. "Or is it true… that you really are **human?"**

Suddenly, an ice shard made its way to Kuyou who simply caught it in mid-air. It disintegrated easily when he applied a little bit of his power. Annoyance caught his demeanor as he turned to the girl that was helping Tsukune up. "You traitor of monsters," Kuyou began in a disgusted voice, "You'd rather help a human than protect the peace at this Academy? You're kind are a disgrace!"

"We don't discriminate against any monster… or human." She replied calmly, thus increasing Kuyou's anger. "It's only lower class monsters that pick on the helpless creatures."

That did it. Kuyou's anger overfilled as he rushed towards the two and rained blow upon blow on them. Both Tsukune and Mizore were helpless against his fury. But the beatings stopped when a voice spoke up, "Hey hey wait Kuyou. This isn't what you promised me!"

Kuyou looked up to see Ishigami emerge from the shadows, sporting a grin filled with dark intent. "**I'm** the one that's going to kill them. I can't have you going too far and killing them yourself."

Her voice took on a darker, more desperate tone. "The newspaper club, they took everything from me including my honor… _everything_!" Her voice was seething now as her voice rose and the raw anger she felt was displayed, "**I'M THE ONE THAT HAS THE RIGHT TO KILL THEM! I WON'T BE SATISFIED UNLESS I RIP THEIR SKIN FROM THEIR BODIES AND DISMEMBER THEM!**"

But her rant was stopped prematurely when Kuyou spoke up. "Move it Ishigami." He stated promptly and without question. Ishigami was about to retort when she noticed an orange inferno surround him, heating up the room significantly.

Kuyou's irises disappeared and were replaced by what seemed like embers that flickered. **"Now that we know Tsukune is human, we have plenty of reason to destroy the newspaper club."** He spoke sinisterly as the clothing on his arm was burned to ashes. In his hand, he held an orange flame that wavered dangerously. **"The useless lot must be killed according to law and that is my duty as an Academy Police Officer!"**

"Oh come on…" Ishigami spoke, trying to hide the fear she was feeling, "But I get to kill some of them right?"

"**I don't think so."** He simply said as he launched the flame from his hand past Ishigami towards Tsukune and Mizore. Ishigami grunted in annoyance, that flame had been _way _too close for comfort. Disappointment crossed her features when she realized that her prey had been killed… but then she noticed something moving from the corner of her eye.

Upon turning around, she found Mizore standing in front of Tsukune, panting slightly. Not a single burn marred their skin or clothing. It was when Ishigami noticed the ice claws that she figured out how they survived.

'_A snow woman? No wonder she easily accepted the human so easily.'_ Ishigami thought idly. When the flow of supernatural energy increased in the room, she took that as the cue to merge into the shadows and disappear.

"Are you… alright… Tsukune-kun?" Mizore asked between pants as her ice claws formed back into normal hands. She had used all of her energy to simply block that one attack.

"I'm alright, thank you Mizore-chan." Tsukne replied as he placed a hand on her shoulder. Despite the situation, Mizore couldn't help but blush at the gentle touch. But the murderous energy that filled the room brought them to their senses quickly as they both looked up at Kuyou.

"**Foolish woman, do you know what you're doing?"** He threatened menacingly. **"You realize that boy is human don't you? Saving him despite that makes you nothing more than a traitor to monsters!"**

The heat in the room increased even more as two flames appeared in each of Kuyou's hands. The formed into a burning sphere as he raised his hands. **"What you are doing is a serious act of treason against this Academy! That's more than enough to warrant the death penalty! With my fire I'll leave behind no evidence that you ever existed! DIE!"**

Kuyou launched the scorching embers towards Tsukune and Mizore, who could do nothing as they watched the flames near them.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Words were spoken as white crescent of energy intercepted the attack. The ensuing explosion caused everyone to grunt from the brightness and energy released. When the smoke cleared, a certain orange-head stood with a smirk upon his face. And behind him a certain blue-haired Succubus cheered him on.

"Looks like we made it in time Ichigo." Kurumu said as she saw Tsukune and Mizore huddled in against a wall adjacent to them.

"**Kurosaki Ichigo!"** Kuyou spoke the name as if it were a curse when he turned around to see the boy standing there in the doorway.

"Yo!" Ichgio simply greeted.

"Yohoo! Mizore! Tsukune!" Kurumu waved her hand as she tried to get said people's attention. Once she got it, she yelled out, "Don't worry! Ichigo will get you out in a moment!"

Forgetting about Tsukune and Mizore, he faced the threat to the Academy that was Ichigo. And when Ichigo felt the sudden increase in energy, he moved in front of Kurumu and blocked her with his body. "Stand back Kurumu, things are about to get dangerous."

"Okay Ichigo." She said, but not before going on her tiptoes and planting a small kiss on Ichigo's cheek. "Good luck!"

Then she moved to where Tsukune and Mizore were, unable to see Ichigo whose ears had turned a bright red. But Kuyou was not in the mood to mess around as he quickly sent a burning vortex towards Ichigo, whose eyes widened as it sped to him at high speed.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" He yelled out before sending his own energy at Kuyou. But this time, the two energies battled each other before Ichigo's Getsuga eventually won out. It cleaved the vortex in half and dissipated it. Kuyou's eyes widened as the white, crescent energy tore through his attack and collided into him. The attack engulfed him and was followed by an explosion.

In the background, Kurumu cheered, thinking Ichigo had defeated Kuyou… but Ichigo knew otherwise as the smoke was blown away by a surge of supernatural energy. From the smoke a different Kuyou emerged… at least, Ichigo _thought _it was Kuyou.

A fox-like creature that seemingly was made out flame stared at Ichigo. Flame erupted from it and produced five formations that resembled tails. With each step it took, the ground hissed as it boiled beneath its feet. After a couple of seconds it let out a howl that made everyone cover their ears. It seemed to reverberate within their heads, causing them all to grunt in discomfort. When it stopped howling, it turned its face towards Ichigo. Steam exuded from its mouth as its body made of flames flickered and danced.

"**Human…" **It spoke up. Hearing the voice everyone now recognized it as Kuyou. **"Aono Tsukune, you really are human aren't you?"** Its maw snapped at Tsukune as it scanned the area, thinking of the best way to dispose of these low class monsters. **"We must kill any human who knows of this only Academy! That is the Academy law! Yet, you defy law by protecting this human newspaper club."**

His tails whipped around in frenzy, boiling away anything that it touched, so intense the flames were. **"The whole lot of you shall be buried right here by Kuyou—the administrator of this Academy's Justice!"**

The flames were made prominent in the small room and the group could feel the flames lick at them, wanting to burn them. Granting that wish Kuyou unleashed two volleys of scorching heat towards Tsukune's group, seemingly forgetting about Ichigo…

But Ichigo did not forget about _him_. Using Shunpo, he stepped in front of the flames and slammed Zangetsu in the ground so the flat side protected him and the group from the fire. He called upon some reiatsu for some added protection and as the attack collided, it was split and diverted to either side of Ichigo, harmlessly passing by the group.

When the fire lifted, Kuyou bared his fangs with a growl when the newspaper club emerged unscathed. The fire itself seemed to bristle in annoyance when Ichigo rose with a smirk plastered on his face. Intent on wiping that smirk off his face, Kuyou began gathering the flames at the tips of his 5 tails. One by one the tails merged together, increasing the power, heat, and intensity of the flame collecting at the end. The flame was no longer red or orange, but glowing a light blue.

He stared at them, noticing that shocked look on their faces, even Ichigo's. The corners of his mouth pulled backwards into a feral smile as he knew he had them trapped. **"Hazy rolling flame!"** Kuyou called out as he unleashed the devastating attack towards the group once more, confident that this flame would eradicate them for good.

What he _didn't_ count on was Ichigo having a second form. "Bankai!" Those words echoed through the room, over the roar of the fire as a sinister black energy actually _engulfed_ Kuyou's attack, completely nullifying it. Kuyou was taken back as this new overwhelming energy almost brought him down to his knees. But somehow, he recognized this energy. He had felt a month back when the school roof had been decimated by some unknown power. Could that power… have belonged to Ichigo?

"**Wha… What are you?" **Kuyou demanded as he regained his posture. Ichigo simply smirked as he pointed Tensa Zangetsu at Kuyou. Its black luster shined despite there being little light and the rattling of its chain at the end sent shivers down the spines of the people in the room. This was a feature that Ichigo found out about Zangetsu. The rattling noise was designed to strike a subconscious fear in the enemy, thus knocking them off balance. It worked since Ichigo saw Kuyou seemingly struggle against something that went unseen to those on the outside.

This was his chance. Ichigo raised his Zanpaktou above his head and gathered energy, which swirled and crackled around the blade. "Getsuga," He began as he called upon more energy that weighed everyone in the room down, including Kuyou. His eyes momentarily met Kuyou's and he could see the fear within those eyes… and Ichigo savored that look. His blood pumped even harder, wanting to utterly _decimate_ his opponent. Finally, he swung down his sword and roared out the last name of the attack. "Tenshou!"

But at the last second, he held back as he regained his senses. The black energy rolled across the room, a seemingly unfathomable darkeness that swallowed up Kuyou. Only the dim tails managed to rise above the darkenss… but even those eventually succumbed as they too soon disappeared. The attack made a noise that was a mixture between a low rumble and a clap of thunder as it still persisted despite having been 10 seconds since having been launched.

After what seemed like an eternity, the attack died down and disappeared into nothing. Everyone from the newspaper club gradually got up, curious to find out what happened to Kuyou. All except Ichigo, who felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach. Somehow, he felt that he had overdone it and actually…

"He's still alive!" Kurumu proclaimed, thus shooting down Ichigo's theory, much to his relief.

Ichigo slowly walked over, afraid to see Kuyou completely disfigured and unrecognizable. Instead, Kuyou was relatively intact. Ironically enough, there were burn marks from Ichigo's attack. This was another ability that he possessed. His reiatsu would create 'burn' marks that would continuously leach an enemy's energy if it made it past the skin. But that was only if he remained in Bankai. So, taking a deep breath, Ichigo let his Hollow reiatsu recede back into his soul.

Everybody jumped back when they saw Kuyou suddenly take a deep breath of air. It seemed that Ichigo's reiatsu had made it farther than he had originally thought. But even now, he still had something he needed to do. He kneeled down, but still roughly hoisted Kuyou so he could look him in the eye.

"You're going to disband the Police Committee." Ichigo simply stated. All he received was a weak nod before Kuyou passed out cold. Finally, Ichigo let go of Kuyou and stood up, taking in a deep breath as he rubbed the back of his head thus leaving him open to an attack…

… by one Kurono Kurumu.

"Yahoo! You did it my darling!" She congratulated as she rubbed her face against his chest. The fact that Ichigo actually hugged her back, albeit with one hand since he still held Zangetsu, made her all the more happier.

But suddenly she pulled away from the hug though not letting go completely. She looked into his eyes with a stern look. In a mock serious voice, but still serious nonetheless, she said. "Ichigo you got some 'splainin to do!"

Ichigo's eyes widened as he knew what she was referring to.

'_Aw crap.'_

****

**I've decided to make my story 'M' since later manga chapters are actually pretty bloody. But you should know that since you've read the manga right? Hope you don't mind, but I have to do this if I want to keep the storyline relatively intact.**

**As for a lemon, since I know **_**someone**_** is thinking about it, there might NOT be one. Unless they get married or something. Or it depends how I progress other relationships, we'll see.**

**Ah, if something seems awkward in this chapter, it might be because the manga actually confused me. During the Kuyou thing, Tsukune was STILL in the corridor, but two pages later, he's in a room even though he hadn't moved at all. So… yea.**


	12. Tsukune

'_Aw crap.'_

"That's right Ichigo, you have some explaining to do." All heads turned to find Gin leaning against the frame of the doorway, acting all cool-like.

Kurumu however, pointed an accusative finger at Gin. "You! How come you didn't get here sooner?" She questioned as she gave the werewolf a hard stare.

But she was met with silence as Gin looked away. Everyone else noticed this and became puzzled by this action. And as gin sighed, he wondered how to put this delicately. "Well, let's just say that I got Moka out of the room, but when I went to follow her, she disappeared?"

"Did she get captured?"

Ichigo flinched from the voice that came from behind him. He looked over his shoulder only to see the tip of a hat. Then he turned around and looked down as he asked, "Eh? When did you get here Yukari?"

Yukari pouted as she put her small hands on her tiny waist. "I've been here the entire time Ichigo! How cruel!"

Ichigo couldn't help but sweat drop as he gave a sheepish smile. It wasn't _his_ fault that she was so short that he couldn't see her easily. "Eh, sorry Yukari." He apologized to the young witch.

"It's alright because I'm going to get a threesome with you and Moka when I'm older." She smiled brightly as a faint blush stained her cheeks. Ichigo simply choked on the air he was breathing. For some reason, he felt that he would never get used to hearing her say that no matter _how_ hold she got.

"But…" Yukari spoke up in a more serious tone. "Where _did_ Moka go?"

All eyes turned to Gin as if he had the answers. Said person was a bit taken back by the stares, but in the end decided to comply with their unanswered question. "I don't really know." He spoke honestly. Though if he could analyze Moka's actions for a bit, he could probably give a good guess. But it didn't look like the group was up for a guessing game so he just left it at that.

Ichigo looked down as he remembered when Moka had told him that she hated humans. Could it be that since he and Tsukune were humans, she didn't want to talk to them? He remembered the face she had made when he had told her he was going to rescue Tsukune. It reminded him of when someone did an atrocious deed which caused others to look down upon them. This train of thought frustrated him as his fist gripped Zangetsu's handle tightly. But when he heard a familiar voice, that train of thought along with its ideas shattered.

"Hello everyone."

Everyone turned their heads towards the entrance and saw Moka standing there timidly. Her body posture attested to the uncertainty she was feeling as she stayed close to the door, ready to escape the moment the situation went sour. But a more excited Yukari ran up to her and embraced her. "You're here Moka! You should've seen Ichigo! He was the best! He transformed again and used this awesome energy and…" Yukari ranted as Moka's eyes wandered, looking at the faces of newspaper club.

Everyone seemed to have a blank expression on their face, almost as if they were unsure how to react to her presence. Uneasiness filled her to the core as her eyes stopped at Ichigo. His intense stare made her want to hide somewhere and never come out. And that scowl of his did not help matters in the least. Even so, she gave a small hesitant smile. This was her apology.

Relief replaced the uneasiness within her when Ichigo's scowl softened. "Yo. You missed the action." He said simply. This was his forgiveness.

"Yea, where were you?" A certain blue-haired girl spoke up in a snappy tone. "I know Ichigo didn't need to help, but that doesn't excuse you to not come and _try_ to help!"

"S-Sorry," Moka apologized as she raised her hands in a defensive stance, "I got lost along the way."

Kurumu peered at Moka, making the pink-haired vampire a bit nervous again. But then she relaxed when Kurumu let out a huff of annoyance before saying, "Alright, just make sure it doesn't happen again!"

Moka smiled, happy that her rival/friend had forgiven her also. "I won't Kurumu-chan."

As the tension in the room lifted, everyone gathered together as a group. Kurumu simply ranted about how much of a badass Ichigo had been as she retold the tale to those who had arrived late. Gin didn't really much care, just glad that the Police Committee was over with, but he _was_ getting annoyed that Ichigo was getting so much attention from a hot girl. Mizore simply stood the side, enjoying the spectacle before her while Yukari interrupted Kurumu's rant every once in a while, causing a small fight to ensue. Moka's eyes widened when Kurumu had described how Ichigo's last attack had utterly decimated Kuyou. This earned a sheepish smile from the Shinigami, but he was relieved. It seemed everyone had forgotten about how he had such powers despite being human.

All except one. Tsukune stared at the orange-head with something akin to fascination. He saw the way Ichigo interacted with the others and was surprised at how humble Ichigo was. Despite having so much power, he didn't flaunt it or let it corrupt him. And… he could tell Ichigo was relieved at not having to explain himself to the group. Even though he felt bad about the idea, he would confront Ichigo later on. Nothing serious… he just wanted to know if_ he_ could get powers by any chance.

---

The next day, rumors were floating about. Whispers between students were exchanged and surprised faces registered on many of the student body.

"Did you hear?" A girl with long blond hair spoke to her friend as they walked to class.

"Hm? What is it?" The other girl replied, wondering why her friend seemed so energetic.

"They're saying that two days ago in the basement after school…" She leaned in closely, almost afraid of being overheard for fear of the rumor being false, "Kuyou of the Public Safety Commission was beaten up!"

"What! No way!" Another girl with black hair exclaimed as she came up next to her friends. "Everyone said Kuyou was so crazy strong that no one could beat him!"

"And that's not all," The blond haired girl continued, "And the guy that did it was the orange-head in the newspaper club!"

Then, all the girls paused as if to think about it. Finally, the girl with the black hair spoke up, "Well, I guess it's possible. Every time I was around him, I always felt this strong energy come from him."

As the girls discussed, a strong muscular figure overheard their conversation. His muscles flexed as his hand gripped the dumbbell he was holding tightly. His face displayed anger as his muscles flexed while lifting the dumbbell. "Who're _they_ calling the strongest?" The figure remarked before leaving the area.

---

"Mooooorning Ichigo!" Kurumu spoke in a delightful tone as she ran up to her Destined One and embraced him tightly.

"Hey Kurumu." Ichigo replied with a small smile as he hugged her back. This earned a jealous stare from Moka, who had walked with him that morning.

But suddenly, Kurumu pulled away and gave Ichigo an intense stare. Ichigo gave her a questioning look as he wondered what was up with this strange behavior.

"Ichigo…" She began as a faint blush tainted her cheeks, "I think I've fallen in love with you again!"

"Eh?" Ichigo blinked.

Kurumu turned her head to the side as she put her hands behind her back. It was rare to see Kurumu act shy, but that's what made it all the more endearing. Ichigo's heart pounded slightly harder against his chest as he looked at her cute stance before hearing her reply, "You were just so _incredible_ back there!"

"Oh… thanks I guess." Ichigo scratched his cheek in sheepish manner. Kurumu smiled at her loved one and noticed his cheeks glow a slight red. She was about to make a remark on it, but was cut off by a certain pink-haired vampire.

"Alright alright, Ichigo was amazing we get it." Moka's annoyed voice rung out as she grabbed Ichigo's arm and tried hauling him away; tried being the operative word.

As soon as those words escaped her lips and ensuing argument followed with Kurumu pulling Ichigo's other arm. Thankfully, Ichigo finally knew what to do in a situation like this. Somehow, he had managed to escape and—making sure they were fully focused on their argument and not him—he slipped away using Shunpo. He had moved just outside the male bathrooms which were at the end of the long hall. Though he was far away, he could still see that they were still arguing and had not noticed his suave escape.

But he had also needed to take care of business and so, he walked in.

---

"So you're the legendary Kurosaki Ichigo?" Ichigo paused mid-wash and looked at the mirror and saw a big, burlesque man standing behind him. In the reflection of the mirror, he could see the man holding dumbbells in both hands as he flexed to show off his 'superior' strength.

"Your back is wide open pipsqueak!" The giant man mocked as one of his hands stretched out and pointed at Ichigo.

"I'm Chopper Rikishi of the pro wrestling club," He said, introducing himself to an increasingly annoyed Ichigo, "The next time I find you with your guard down, I'm putting you in a cobra twist you understand?"

Ichigo looked at him out of the corner of his eye before deciding to ignore him and finish washing his hands. This irked the man as he grabbed Ichigo by the shoulder and forcefully turned him around. "That's the face of a strong man, I like that. So it seems you did beat Kuyou!" The man concluded with a wide smile.

"Kurosaki Ichigo! I challenge you to a battle!" The man flexed his muscles once more, veins rippling throughout his arms: A great display of strength.

"Are you sure about that? Ichigo might accidentally kill ya." Both Ichigo and the man turned around to find Gin entering the bathroom, looking cool as ever. There were even sparkling stars that seemed to float around him.

Chopper's eye twitched. This was another man he had wanted to fight. But Ichigo came first since he had beaten Kuyou. Still, he didn't like the remark Gin made. He didn't doubt his own strength and was sure he wouldn't lose.

"Hmm… I have to go anyways. But I'll be back for you Kurosaki Ichigo!" Chopper said before turning around and leaving.

"So looks like you've become popular Ichigo." Gin spoke from the urinal he was using.

Ichigo's eyebrow simply twitched. "Why are you talking to me while you're using the bathroom? That's weird."

Gin simply flashed him a smile, creeping out Ichigo as he walked out the bathroom. "I need some fresh air." Ichigo said as he sighed.

---

"This is… not as nice I thought it would be." Ichigo was currently leaning against the roof's railing, staring up at the sky. As always, the sky was grey and plain, not a speck of blue or sun. Ichigo clicked his tongue in annoyance as he opted to look at the ground. Nothing interesting there either. All he could see were students milling about. But his eyes lingered on a couple that had been hiding between a few trees. He felt kind of awkward for staring at them, but it wasn't _his_ fault that the aerial had been pretty good. Also, it was at this moment he realized he also had incredibly good vision as well.

Then the couple kissed, making Ichigo feel like he was a stalker or something. But it wasn't his fault, it seemed so… intriguing. The way the girl giggled as her boyfriend planted tender kisses across her face suddenly made Ichigo think about his own dating life. Ichigo became irked when realized he'd never had one. He had never once been on a date with a girl. He was dating virgin. Ichigo sweat dropped at the phrase he used, but it didn't make it any less true. A strange, longing feeling made itself comfortable in Ichigo's heart as it kicked back and relaxed. This deeply confused Ichigo, even more so when an image of Kurumu appeared in his head. Curse him for being dense and not noticing the connection!

Before his thoughts progressed any further, he was interrupted by Moka as she opened the door to the roof thus snapping Ichigo out of his stupor. "So this is where you've been Ichigo!" She exclaimed as she walked over to him.

As she came up before him, Ichigo wondered what she wanted. Her lips moved as he heard her say, "Ichigo, I want to ask you something."

"What is it?" He replied curiously… but then a dreadful feeling washed over him as he saw Moka's eyes glisten marvelously.

"Let me suck your blood." She simply replied. Ichigo's response was far from simple as his eyes widened and sweat began pouring out his skin.

"What?" The question was rhetorical, but that did not stop Moka from replying.

"Just… it's been so long and things have finally calmed down and I've just gotten a thirst for your blood!" Her body shook with joy as she clasped her face; she could already feel the ecstasy from taking Ichigo's sweet and nutritious blood!

Ichigo took a step back, still shocked that all she had come up here for was to ask him for blood. Before using Shunpo crossed his mind, Moka had stepped forward and grabbed his arm. "It's ok, right Ichigo?" She asked as her face neared his neck.

"NO! I'm not in the mood right now!" Ichigo panicked as he struggled to get away from Moka's grasp, but to no avail. Had she gotten stronger? He didn't recall it being this hard to make her let go.

"C'mon c'mon! Just an itsy bitsy sip!" She persisted as her fangs peered from her top lip just a tiny bit. They shined dangerously.

"No means no!" Ichigo denied her, feeling her grip loosing. But it was too late.

"ICHIGOOOOOO!" Moka whined before she decided to bite him, despite his protests. Poor Ichigo could only look on in abject horror as she sank her teeth into his neck.

"Hn!" Ichigo grunted, telling himself that he would _not_ yell out in pain. But his thoughts were far from quiet.

'_!'_ Were his precise thoughts until Moka decided released him from her cruelty.

"That was… amazing…" She spoke breathlessly as she staggered backwards. _'I think I had an orgasm…._'

Ichigo's experience was far from pleasant he clapped a hand over his neck. The wound was slightly bigger than normal since Moka hadn't been careful and because he had been struggling. But it healed quickly though since his reiatsu helped heal the wounds at a fast pace.

"I told you no…" Ichigo complained, his voice tired and weary. But his words fell on deaf ears since Moka was still lost in her own little world.

"So are you done flirting with that girl Kurosaki Ichigo?" Ichigo turned his head and looked past Moka to see that man… Chopper… from earlier standing there with smile on his face.

"Hehe… I've come back! Nobody's gonna stop us up here. We can fight all we want!" He said as his body began expanding. His body grew even blockier as his muscles thickened into what looked like scales. It was in fact simply hardened skin. His facial features became grotesque as his bottom incisors grew and jutted from his mouth like a boar's tusks would. Even his _face _seemed to get bulky. This man was a troll.

"Come on! Show me your true form to me and we'll see who the strongest man here is!" The monster spoke as it raised a lumbering arm high in the air. "I challenge you Kurosaki Ichigo!" And then the huge arm was brought down.

The monster smiled when he felt his hand connected with the tiny man before him. But a look of surprise crossed his features when the smoke from the impact cleared, revealing an unharmed Ichigo. Then shock replaced surprise when he realized that Ichigo had only used one hand to stop the blow.

"That it?" Ichigo asked as he looked out to the side, seemingly uninterested in the fight. Truthfully, he just wanted to take a nap. He was pretty sure he'd do okay if he missed just one day of class.

"Impressive, but don't think that's all my strength!" The troll exclaimed as it lifted both its massive arms in the air. He clasped his hands together before bringing them down with a thunderous impact!

But like before, the smoke cleared away and Ichigo _still_ only had used one hand to block the blow. "Are you done yet?" Ichigo asked as he gave the troll a smirk.

The troll was about the reply, but he wasn't given the time as Ichigo used Shunpo to elbow the troll in the gut. Spit flew out the troll's mouth as it was sent rolling backwards. It rolled until it stopped, making small craters along the way. It finally rested on the ground, completely unconscious.

"Ah… so tasty…" Moka spoke up, unaware of the events that had just transpired. Then her eyes looked at the area and noticed multiple craters that weren't there before.

"Did something happen?" Moka asked as she turned towards Ichigo.

"Just a little fight." He said as he glanced at the body over his shoulder. Then, he sighed. "Something tells me that I'm in for a lot more fights like these…"

Moka smiled at him, confusing the boy a bit. "Don't worry, you'll beat all of them!" She reassured him.

Ichigo's face fell as he sweat dropped. "That… that's not what I meant."

Moka's head tilted to the side, confused. Ichigo simply shook his head before looking up and saying, "I think I'll go take a nap… I'm kinda tired."

Moka gave the Shinigami a curious stare, but simply let him do whatever he wanted. She would let him do whatever he wanted since he had let her drink some of his blood, though she wouldn't admit she had done it a bit forcefully.

"Okay Ichigo. I'll see you later!" She waved to him as he disappeared behind the door on the roof. And, making sure he was completely gone, she pulled out a letter from her pocket. She tore it open neatly and pulled out the letter that was inside.

Her eyes scanned the words. They belonged to her father and she was curious to hear what he would say. As she reached the middle, she had to reread those sentences a few times over. Then, once she made sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, she gulped.

Her father was coming to visit her during the festival in order to meet Ichigo.

---

Ichigo reached the door and already he could feel the soft pillow pressing against the side of his cheek. He wouldn't admit it, but whenever Moka sucked his blood, it left him absolutely _drained_. Ichigo gave a mental chuckle at the literal and figurative meaning behind it. But alas, he was stopped from his restful slumber as a meek voice spoke from behind him.

"Umm… Ichigo?" Said person turned around to see Tsukune standing behind him. Ichigo vaguely wondered what he wanted.

"Um, yea?"

"Could I talk to you about… your powers?" Ichigo's mind immediately went on alert as he looked around, making sure no one had heard him. Well, no one from the newspaper club. He didn't want them to suddenly stark asking him how he was human and still had powers.

"Alright, come in." Ichigo gestured Tsukune to enter with a shake of his head. Tsukune complied and walked in after Ichigo.

---

"So, what do you want to know?" Ichigo asked as he sat lazily in his chair. Tsukune sat across from him at the table as he fidgeted nervously.

"I was wondering…"

Ichigo's eyebrow arched as he wondered what he seemed so nervous about. "I was wondering… if I could get powers like you!"

Ichigo blinked as he stared at the plain boy in front of him. Well, he supposed he wasn't too surprised. After all, him and Tsukune were both humans, albeit, _very_ different. Ichigo thought about how to respond. From a minute, Tsukune was left in silence as he saw Ichigo's face turn into a thoughtful look.

"Well… I guess you could." Ichigo began. Tsukune's eyes lit up, but then Ichigo raised his hand in order to calm him down. "But… you'd have to die."

Tskukune's mouth fell and hit the table. "DIE?!?!" He exclaimed as his hands waved frantically in front of him. "I don't want to die!"

An annoyed tick appeared on Ichigo's head at Tsukune's knee-jerk reaction about death. Ichigo decided to clarify a bit. "You don't actually have to die… I just have to stab your chest with my sword and give you some of my energy."

This stopped Tsukune who looked at him and blinked. "That's all?"

The tick mark on Ichigo's head increased in size. "That's it? You were freaking out just now when I said you had to die!" Ichigo berated the boy, making Tsukune cringe a bit.

"S-Sorry… I just thought I would have to go through some sort of sacrificial ritual or something." Was Tsukune's meek reply.

Ichigo sighed as he sat down in his chair, wondering when he had gotten up. "No… but there's a small chance of survival. Heck, _I'm_ lucky I even survived it… or so I'm told."

"Oh…" Tsukune said with a tone of dismay. But a sudden resolution sprang up in his mind as he looked up at Ichigo. "I don't care, I'm willing to take the risk!"

Ichigo was a bit taken back by Tsukune's sudden bravery, but he decided to ask, "Why is that?"

"Because… before you arrived, Mizore was the one who protected me from being burned to a crisp." He said as he looked down at the table.

"So? What's wrong with that?" Ichigo asked.

Tsukune took a deep breath before he replied. "W-Well… she's my girlfriend… and it's the guy's job to protect the girl right?"

Ichigo stared at Tsukune, who leaned backwards as if trying to escape his look. "You're dating that quiet girl?"

"She's not quiet when we're alone…"

"What was that?" Ichigo asked, not quite catching what Tsukune had said under his breath.

"O-OH! I just said yea, we are dating. But she likes to keep it on the down low." Tsukune let out a relieved breath when Ichigo accepted his reasoning.

"Well… I guess we could try." Ichigo said as he pondered about it for a bit. He supposed that if one had the determination, chances of success were higher. After all, he _did_ survive the 'Shinigamification' process. Then again, he hadn't heard of any other human going through the same thing he did. Bah, whatever, what could go wrong?

"Thank you so much Ichigo!" Tsukune replied thankfully. "I'll come back tomorrow night so we can begin!"

And before Ichigo had a chance to reply, Tsukune was out the door, ready to tell his girlfriend the good news. Ichigo sighed as he got up and closed the door.

Just one normal day… that was all he was asking for. One normal _freakin _day!

****

**I bet some of you were shocked liked a bird on a broken electrical wire when I wrote that bite scene between Ichigo and Moka. But seriously, there are some panels that practically SAY she's having one when biting Tsukune in the manga!**

**Plus my story is now 'M' rated so I might be a little bit more liberal.**

**Anyways, this was a bit tricky to write actually. But hey, hope I've done a good job at progressing the story. It might not have been as high quality as before, but hopefully it got the job done.**


	13. Learning

Ichigo sighed. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Ever since that rumor had gotten popular, so had he. Everywhere he went, hushed whispers would follow. It had also earned him a sort of fanclub among the girls. And as Ichigo looked to the right, he could see said fangirls whispering and giggling as he walked past them. One girl however, got the audacity to wave at Ichigo. Ichigo hesitantly waved back, and was rewarded with varios high-pitched noises that irked the young Shinigami.

Yet, things didn't stop there. A rowdy bunch of students impeded his path by stepping in front of him. They looked on menacingly as they released their transformations, hoping to intimidate Ichigo. Once again, Ichigo sighed. Gently, he put Zangetsu on the ground. He had originally let his sword out of its case in order to ward off any unnecessary fights, but that didn't help. In fact, it actually did the opposite and attracted _more_ people. This was getting tiresome…

But at the same time, he was enjoying it. It reminded him of his high school days when he would go with Chad and beat up some delinquents or two. It also reminded him of his fights with his dad. So in a way, he sort of thanked him for going through the trouble to fist fight with him. Not only did it get his blood pumping, it reminded him of home and let him dust off his skills.

With a smirk, he jumped into the fray.

---

"I hate math." Ichigo commented from his seat. He looked over to Tsukune, who was sitting to the left of him.

"At least you're good at it. Look at me! I'm failing…" Ichigo cried as he held a paper in front of him. There, big and bold and in red was the letter F marked on his paper.

Ichigo gave a sweat drop when Tsukune seemed to be on the verge of tears and decided to look away just in time to see the teacher walk in. Ririko Kagome was their math teacher and almost immediately upon entering the class, she began the lesson. Somehow…Ichigo felt this was going to be a really long class.

"If you take alpha times beta from this solution," Ririko said as she pointed to a place on the chalkboard, "the coefficient of x squared is this based on equation A. If we take this to the next step…"

Soon, her words were drowned out as Ichigo's mind wandered. He was still looking ahead, but he had tuned out all distractions including the lesson. He looked to the left at the troubled boy. He could easily see he was panicking, probably from not being able to understand the lesson. Yet, he had come to Ichigo for strength, for power. He mused at what Tsukune's power would be, but the train of thought didn't last long as Tsukune suddenly stood up from his desk. Looking ahead, he noticed that teacher was talking to Tsukune… or rather, scolding him.

"My my, you weren't paying attention to sensei were you?" She reprimanded him as she shook a finger at him, "You shouldn't be daydreaming in class! After all, the **semester test** is coming up soon!"

'_AHHHH! I __**totally**__ forgot about the semester test! It's all OVER! I'm gonna have to repeat class again!'_ Tsukune's frantic thoughts took the better of him as he grabbed his head, twitching every which way.

Kiriko took note of Tsukune's behavior and gave him a worried glance. She made a mental note to talk to him after class.

---

"Please Ichigo!" Tsukune asked for the Shinigami's help in math. Ichigo gave him a wry look when Tsukune seemed to be close to bursting into tears.

"Please!"

"I can't!" Ichigo said exasperatedly, "I don't really study… I just sort of learn the stuff."

Then he turned his gaze to Moka, who gave him an inquisitive look. "But maybe Moka here could help you on your studies."

The sudden mention of her name and the task she had to do shocked her as she replied, "A-Ah! Yes! I'll help!"

"Alright, sounds good then." Ichigo said before he used Shunpo to disappear, leaving Moka and Tsukune wonder to where he had rushed off to in such a hurry.

Then, they turned to look at each other. Unease filled the air as they struggled to find something to say to each other. Almost like out of a bad cliché movie, they spoke up at the same time.

"Sorry!" They apologized in unison.

"You can go ahead!" They spoke in a chorus.

They smiled sheepishly as they decided to leave it at that for the moment. Then, a thought entered Tsukune's mind. But before he could utter a word of it, someone else spoke from behind him, startling him in the process.

"So I see, no wonder you were falling behind Tsukune-kun." Kiriko said as her curvaceous figure approached Tsukune.

Before he could reply, she raised her voice as she said, "Aono Tsukune! You silly boy! Don't you know this isn't the time to be flirting with your girlfriend?"

Then she spoke in a low tone, filled with concern and worry. Her facial features softened into a kind expression as she looked at him. "You haven't been able to make it to class lately have you? It caught the eye of your sensei you know?"

Then, she turned her eyes towards Moka, who was surprised at the sudden shift of attention. "Now I see that it's your fault Moka-san. You have been distracting him from his studies, going on dates with him. And…"

"No wait sensei! She's not my girlfriend!" Tsukune spoke with a sense of urgency. "We're just friends through Ichigo. He's the one that suggested we study together."

Moka was a bit taken back. What he had said… it sounded as if he was just being friend with her for Ichigo's sake. She knew she had been unjust to him, but she hoped that wasn't the case. She wanted to be on good terms with everyone. She made a mental note to try and talk to him in the future.

"Ah Ichi-kun!" Ririko said as she gave a pleasant sigh. Her eyes shined brightly at the mention of Ichigo's name. "That boy… he's so smart and attentive! He turns in all his homework, he aces his tests. That boy… he's going to go miles!"

Again she sighed as she placed a hand over her chest. Tsukune noted that she felt immensely proud and couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Ichigo. Ririko looked like a mother who was proud of her son. But wait, mothers don't fawn over their children in the way Ririko was doing. And what was up with that blush? Then it was Tsukune's turn to blush when Ririko's hand gently brushed against her shapely chest. Was she… fondling herself?! Before Tsukune's mind could progress, Ririko's suddenly serous words broke him out of his thoughts.

"Anyway, come to my office after school. I'll give you special after school lessons. Your studies will be far more fruitful." She said before she walked over to Tsukune and pressed her soft frame against his body. She cradled Tsukune's cheek in her hand, sending wild fantasies running through the boy's head. But then the image of Mizore came to mind. Though he wasn't any less nervous, he was able to calm his imagination. What would she think if he was having thoughts about another woman? Granted, it wasn't his fault. He couldn't help but gulp when she gave him a mysterious sort of smile.

"I hope you'll make it." She said as she looked into his eyes for a second before letting him go and walking away.

---

Mizore couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy run through her body. She had seen this Ririko-sensei before and had noticed how all the guys would stop whatever they were doing just to get a glimpse of her. She was gorgeous, and wearing glasses only seemed to add to her sex appeal. The plain blouse she wore over that leather suit beneath added a sort of allure that no man could resist. But as she looked into Tsukune's bright and gentle eyes, she couldn't help but feel silly for being jealous. He had told her everything that had happened, holding nothing back. There was _nothing_ she needed to worry about.

"So yea, now I have after school lessons with her." Tsukune said, sitting on Mizore's couch. Mizore herself was right next to him, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"You shouldn't go." Mizore stated simply, causing Tsukune to turn and look at her.

"What, you jealous?" Tsukune asked teasingly, causing a faint blush to appear on Mizore's cheeks.

"No…" She denied, but when she looked into Tsukune's knowing eyes, she resigned, "Okay, maybe just a little."

Tsukune gave a short chuckle at her, but then sighed. A look of worry crossed Mizore's features as she asked, "What's wrong Tsukune-kun?"

"Nah, it's nothing. I just can't believe I'm failing this class. Of all things, failing!" Tsukune grunted in frustration as he placed his head in his hands, which were propped against his knees.

Mizore looked at him for a bit. She could almost feel his frustration echoing within her. She needed to cheer him up. And she did.

Tsukune was surprised when Mizore wrapped her arms around his waist. She leaned in close to his neck and he could feel her cool breath tickling him. Tsukune's back went slightly rigid when she placed a kiss on his neck. Gently, she continued upwards, past his chin before reaching the corner of his mouth. Her soft lips then locked with his in this tender action. She pulled away, feeling out of breath.

"W-Wow…" Tsukune gaped at the beautiful woman sitting in front of him. Mizore had the decency to blush as she looked away.

"I… just wanted to cheer you up." She spoke timidly. Suddenly, a gentle hand reached out and cupped her face, making her face Tsukune.

"Thanks Mizore-chan." He said, and Mizore could see the earnest emotion in his eyes. Her heart leapt in her chest as he leaned in closer and crashed his lips against hers… or that's what she had thought would happen.

It was a teasing motion as his lips barely brushed against hers. He nipped at her top lip, eliciting a soft moan from the ice girl. She wanted him… and he was being impossible!

Just then, she let out a tiny squeak when Tsukune pushed her against the couch. He pinned her hands against the armrest, thus immobilizing her. Before she could wonder what was happening, Tsukune leaned down and breathed into her ear. A shiver ran down her spine, creating a deep want in the pit of her stomach. It ached, more so when the man she loved began nibbling on her ear. A low, trembling moan escaped her lips when his tongue caressed the edges of her ear.

"Tsukune…" She moaned out as she tried to move. But his ministrations had left her weak and helpless.

"Mizore!" He grunted as her thigh pressed against the bulge forming in his pants. The friction it created made him shiver as the temperature in the room seemed to rise. Even Mizore's cool body was hot to the touch and as he looked at her, he couldn't help but think he was with the most beautiful girl on the planet. A thoughtful look crossed his features and Mizore took note of it, despite the haze of pleasure that had been filling her vision.

"What's wrong Tsukune-kun?" She asked from beneath him.

"Ah… sorry, guess I ruined the mood huh?" He smiled apologetically. But Mizore shook her head before replying.

"It's alright… you should tell me if there's anything on your mind." She spoke honestly.

"Well…" He began, unsure of how to put it, "I just feel… like I should be the one protecting you, not the other way around."

"I don't mind protecting you." She replied. But Tsukune shook his head.

"That's not it… I just think it's the man's job to protect the woman." A confused look crossed his features when Mizore gave a small laugh.

"Oh, that's right… that's how humans think."

Tsukune smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head, "Yea… I guess it is."

Tsukune then tilted his head up and looked at the clock. That's when he realized that his lessons with his sensei were about to begin. He quickly got off Mizore and went to get his jacket which was sitting on a chair in her kitchen.

"What's the matter?" Mizore asked as she looked at the rushed boy in front of her.

"Ah sorry, I forgot to mention that the lessons would be starting soon." He said as he finished buttoning up his jacket.

"Don't forget about your meeting with Ichigo… I still don't see how he's going to help you gain power." She said as she got up from the couch.

"Me either. Guess I'll have to trust him on this." He hugged her before giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. But even that simple gesture managed to stain the girl's cheeks red.

"Alright Tsukun-kun… don't take too long!"

Tsukune paused before looking over his shoulder. "Don't worry Mizore-chan, you're the one that will always be in my heart." He gave a warm smile before he left, shutting the door behind him.

Mizore stood there, a goofy grin upon her face. He really was always thinking of her wasn't he? That's why she didn't like the idea of him being around another woman. It's not that she didn't trust Tsukune, but from what he had told her earlier, that Ririko character seemed to be up to no good. Mizore contemplated on following, but then that might give off the wrong message. So, she sat on the couch and debated with herself for 10 minutes. The incessant tick on the clock began grating on her ever patient nerves. It was as if it were somehow taunting her! But then she realized that was just silly. Unless… it was a metaphor… that meant Tsukune's time was almost up….

Panic gripped her as she raced out the door within a second. Luckily it wouldn't take too long to get to him since he had told her where he would be. Still… she couldn't help but feel that Tsukune was in a lot of trouble. If only she knew.

---

Tsukune hesitated as he approached the door. He couldn't help but get shivers and not the good ones Mizore gave him. He looked up at the sign that read conference room. This was where he was supposed to take those 'after school lessons' that he was dreading. But there was no sense in waiting so he raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Excuse me. This is Aono Tsukune from freshman class 3. I'm here for the after school lessons." He said. When no one answered, he twisted the doorknob and opened the door. He peeked inside before actually stepping in.

What he saw seemed to come directly from a witch's house… no offense to Yukari. There were Jack-o lanterns lining tables, bubbling concoctions, drapery that hung from the ceiling. There was even a fog strangely enough.

"I'm glad you came Tsukune-kun." A voice spoke from the shadows, causing Tsukune to turn around. As the figure approached, the image became clearer and he could see it was his senei… in what looked like an S&M outfit.

She was wearing a leather skirt over a tight, black garter belt. Her midriff was exposed by a leather tank top that barely covered her well-endowed chest and the glasses she was wearing did not retract, but added to her sex appeal. That and the high heels she was wearing.

Tsukune could feel his mouth fall to the floor. A blush crept onto his cheeks as he began panicking. "RIRIKO-SENSEI!! WHAT ARE YOU WEARING!!"

"Hmm? This?" She asked nonchalantly, pointing to her outfit, "I just thought that this would motivate you in your studies."

That didn't cut it with Tsukune as he continued to complain, "This is kinda weird! What kinda things are you into sensei?!"

Before he could finish speaking, Tsukune felt a sharp sting across his cheek and saw some of his blood fly in front of him. "Huh?"

"Weird?" Ririko spoke in a grave tone as she pulled back on the whip that seemed to have materialized from out of nowhere, "What could possibly be weird? I am your sensei. In education, sensei is your leader, whom demands your respect… and students are the sensei's **servants.**"

"W-Wait a minute R-Ririko-sensei!" Tsukune said as he tried to placate the seemingly angered woman. Tsukune's eyes widened when it looked like she was about to whip him again."S-Stop!"

But then she simply smiled as she adjusted her glasses. "My after school lessons are very strict! But it's all for your own good Tsukune-kun." She gave a smile that, if it weren't for the situation, would've been considered cute, "Oh, Isn't education wonderful!"

Then, before Tsukune's eyes, Ririko began to transform. Her legs merged together and formed into a sort of scaly tale. It extended a good 4 meters before forming into a point. From that point, a red and pink flower budded, then bloomed. Its petals extended outwards and were lined with what looked like small teeth. It snapped eagerly at Tsukune, who took a step back in horror.

"Now now Tsukune-kun, this is for your own good remember?" She said as she slithered closer to Tsukune.

Tsukune turned around and headed for the door only to find it locked. He couldn't help but be reminded of those old horror movies where the victim had nowhere to escape. But now was not that time to be thinking such things. He turned around, his back against the door. He was trapped.

The flower lunged at him, its petals snapping at him. He managed to dodge the first attack, but in less than a second it had turned around and clamped onto his head. A surge of information flowed into his mind, overwhelming the boy's senses. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as equations crossed his vision at a rapid pace. Soon, all was forgotten except the knowledge in his head and a need to follow his sensei's orders.

"Huhu, I'm sending the knowledge directly into your mind. This way you won't be able to think about anything but your sensei and your studies." She spoke fondly. A blush spread across her face when her student began reciting complicated equations. With each word he uttered, the fire within her increased. It pleased her greatly.

"This is my power," She purred as she stroked Tsukune's cheek, "Yes yes, this is for the best Tsukune-kun."

"Stop… what are you doing to my boyfriend?" Ririko immediately turned around and scanned the area, trying to find where the voice had come from.

"Who are you? We're in the middle of a very important lesson, show yourself!" She demanded.

Just then, Mizore dropped down from the ceiling and landed gracefully onto the floor. "Let go of him." She spoke in a frosty voice. Her gentle features where sharp and focused as she glared at the woman in front of her.

Ririko stared at the girl and decided to let go of Tsukune, who stood idly. "Do not bother me. I am putting everything I have into his _education_! I'm not about to let you get away with intruding on us!"

Ririko moved her tail and Mizore tensed, ready for an attack. But none came. Instead, Ririko's tail wrapped around Tsukune as she pulled him closer to her. She extended her hand to him, and he took it. A deep and terrifying feeling filled Mizore as Tsukune brought his lips and placed them upon this woman's hand.

"See? This is the bond between a student and his sensei." She taunted, infuriating the snow girl, "Oh isn't education wonderful?"

A warning suddenly went off in Ririko, who brought up her tail just in time to block an ice kunai. She barely even felt it since it did not penetrate her thick scales all the way. But now… she was mad. "What do you think you're doing little girl!"

She swung her tail and smashed the tables around her, sending pumpkins and books flying every which way. "I'm getting my boyfriend back from an ugly woman like you." Mizore cooly replied.

Ririko's pupils shrank as her body began to tremble with raw anger. "**I am your sensei! I'm doing all of this for your own good! And yet you can't understand that you little brat!"**

Then she gave a smirk as she shot her tail at Mizore. **"What a naughty, naughty girl!"**

But Mizore was ready since the moment she got there. Her hands turned into meter long ice claws that blocked the incoming attack. She shrugged off the attack to the side as she aimed to chop off the tail. But something warned her to look behind her. She was glad she did for the flower had turned around and was heading straight for her. With perfect timing, she dodged and sliced off the flower.

A terrible shriek filled the room that caused her to cover her ears. **"How dare you do this to me!"** Came Ririki's deafening yell, **"I'm doing this for your own good!"**

Mizore looked on in wonder as the cells at the end of the tail began to replicate. In less than 10 seconds, another flower had formed… but this one was four times larger. She noted that it could easily swallow one of her limbs. Then, Mizore got an idea.

Just as expected, the enraged woman was on the attack again. So as not to look suspicious, Mizore dodged the first few times. She pretended to slip, which the woman took advantage of as she sent her flower to swallow her. But Mizore stuck out her arm, which was swallowed instead.

"**Now I'm going to make you pay little girl!"** Ririko spoke as she gave a sinister smirk. But then it turned into a frown when Mizore gave a devious smirk of her own.

Suddenly, Ririko could feel a chill go up her spine. She shivered as she suddenly felt cold and as she looked at the girl, she noticed that her flower was quickly becoming encased in ice. Her eyes widened as the trail of ice followed her up her tail. She shrieked in a maddened frenzy as she tried to get away, but it was to not avail. Soon, she too was nothing more than a statue of ice.

Mizore pulled her arm out, which returned to normal soon thereafter. As she looked at the strange woman, she said in a hushed tone, "What a bitch…"

"I… heard that." Mizore blushed. She knew whose voice that belonged to! Turning to her left, she saw Tsukune trying to get up. Quickly, she ran over to help.

"Heh. THIS is why I need Ichigo's help." He spoke as he wobbled a bit. The wealth of information was leaving him, and with it the chances of even passing the exam. But for the moment, that didn't matter.

"Are you alright Tsukune-kun?" She asked worriedly, earning a smiling from the brown-haired boy.

"Don't worry Mizore-chan, I'm fine." He replied. When she was sure he was okay, he offered him a small smile.

"I guess we should leave. Don't want anything else to go wrong." Tsukune said as he looked at the disaster that lay strewn across the room. "Maybe I might as well head on over to Ichigo."

"Make sure… you don't overdo it." Mizore said as she placed a lollipop in her mouth. Just then, Tsukune got a devious idea.

"Don't worry," He said as he took the sucker from Mizore's lips, thus surprising her.

"I won't." He said before placing it in his mouth. Mizore simply pouted, giving him the puppy-eyed look for stealing her candy. But then her heart skipped a beat when he did something shocking.

He pulled the lollipop from his mouth and brushed it against Mizore's lips. Slowly, he traced her mouth, following the curvature of her lips before he placed it in her mouth.

"Does it taste any different?" He asked teasingly, earning a blush from the snow girl.

"It tastes…. Wonderful…" She replied in a trance-like state. Tsukune simply laughed as he took her by the hand.

"Come on, we should get going." And with those words, they left.

---

Ichigo was feeling guilty. The reason he had left in a hurry… was simply because he didn't want to teach Tsukune himself. He guessed he could've helped, but Ichigo was a fighter, not a teacher! Well, the past was past. He only hoped Moka was doing a good job at teaching him. Speaking of which, he hadn't really had a one-on-one chat with her recently. Maybe he should take some time to talk to her… and maybe make the phone call to his family he told himself he would.

"Yahoo! Summer vacation is almost here!" Kurumu said happily as she stretched in her chair.

"What are you so happy about milk jugs?" Yukari berated, "You've failed almost every class. You're going have to take summer classes if you don't pass the upcoming final!"

Kurumu shrugged. "Don't worry, I think I'll do okay. After all, I have a genius who's going to help me."

"I'm not going to help you." Yukari simply stated as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Kurumu simply smirked. "I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about Ichigo."

"Hm, what? Me?" Ichigo asked as he was brought away from his thoughts. Both Yukari and Ichigo were surprised at Kurumu's statement.

"Yea… I mean didn't you get rank 10 on the last exam?" She asked and Ichigo slowly nodded. "So that means you'll help me right?"

"Uhh…" Ichigo was at a loss of words. What could he say?

"So it's settled! You're coming to my room this evening to help me study Ichigo!"

Ichigo sighed, but then he remembered something. "Actually, I can't Kurumu. Maybe some other time."

"Why not now? Do you feel uncomfortable being in a room with a girl all alone?" Kurumu asked teasingly.

'_Ahh… I guess I shouldn't mention Rukia to her.'_ Were Ichigo's thoughts as he shook his head.

"That's not it. It's just that I'm meeting with Tsukune later on." He simply replied, earning a questioning look from the Succubus.

Ichigo decided to explain. "He needed help with something." He said, hoping that would satiate her curiosity. It didn't.

"And what exactly are you going to help him with?" She asked, now curious since Ichigo seemed to be hiding something.

Luckily for Ichigo, Moka came into the room at that exact moment and answered for him. "He's going to help Tsukune study for math."

Ichigo turned to Moka and gave her questioning look before turning back to Kurumu. "Yea… that's what I'm going to help him with."

Kurumu wasn't going to voice it, but she highly doubted that was the reason for the meeting. Ichigo was a blunt person and there was no way he would sugarcoat something. He just wasn't the type. Whatever the reason, she decided to give him a break and pretended to accept the reasoning.

"Oh, ok. Well, good luck with that. I heard he wasn't very good at studying so that might take a while." Kurumu offered. Ichigo gave an internal sigh of relief. But he still wondered what Moka was doing here. Wasn't she supposed to be helping Tsukune with math?

"Well, I'm off then." He said as he got up. As he passed Moka he mouthed the words, "How did you know?" to her?

She simply replied with a strange sort of smile that left Ichigo puzzled.

---

Up until he got into the room, he had thought about Moka and the way she had come to his rescue. She couldn't have known about his plan to give power to Tsukune… could she have? There was no way unless she had been actively following him, but she didn't seem the type. The scowl on his face had deepened; scaring away all the people in his hall and making them hide in their rooms. All except one.

"Tsukune? What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked as he approached his room, Tsukune resting his back against the door.

"Oh, lessons got cut short so I decided to come here." Tsukune replied.

"So… how long have you been here?" Ichigo asked curiously.

That's when Tsukune gave a sheepish smile. "Around 15 minutes I think."

Ichigo gave him a flat look as Tsukune withered beneath Ichigo's gaze. Ichigo then sighed, "Alright, might as well get started. I'll go get Zangetsu."

Tsukune moved out of the way as Ichigo opened his door. He disappeared inside for 3 minutes before coming back out and locking his door. "You ready to go?" He asked to the excited boy next to him.

"Definitely! It'll make me feel better since I know I'll be able to protect Mizore-chan for a change." Tsukune smiled brightly. Ichigo couldn't help but give a small smile. If Tsukune and he had only one thing in common, it would be that they both wanted to protect the people they cared about.

---

"Are you sure there's no other way?" Tsukune asked worriedly as Ichigo unwrapped Zangetsu from its bandages. The large blade seemed to stare at him menacingly, but that could've just been Tsukune's imagination.

"Probably, but I haven't heard of any other way." This did not ease Tsukune's worries.

"W-Well… if there's no other choice I'll take what I can." Tsukune said, trying to act brave when he felt like he was about to run away.

"So, you ready?" Ichigo asked as he rested the dull side of Zangetsu against his shoulder.

Tsukune took a moment to compose himself. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Alright… I'm ready to be stabbed by your giant sword!" He replied. Ichigo simply gave him a wry look.

Ichigo then hefted Zangetsu off his shoulder and pointed it at Tsukune's chest. As he was about to pierce Tsukune, he realized that using Zangetsu while in this form might not be the best idea. He might accidentally cleave Tsukune in half. So he retracted Zangetsu and tried bringing up the minimum amount of energy needed to go Bankai.

He succeeded and only managed to cause the wind to kick up only a little. When Ichigo looked at Tsukune he noticed that the boy seemed a bit relieved. "Alright, here we go." He said, signaling to Tsukune that he was about to stab him.

Metal met flesh as it tore straight through Tsukune and came out behind him. Tsukune gasped a bit as Ichigo pumped some of his blue reiatsu into him. He didn't want Tsukune to accidentally turn into a hollow either. When Ichigo felt that he was finished, he pulled his sword out and watched to see what would happen.

A strange power washed over him. He could distinctly tell it was there, but at the same time, he could not feel anything. He could also tell that reiatsu was pouring out of the boy, but he could not see it. There was no distinct color, no anything. It was simply there, but not there. Additionally, Tsukune was not wearing the usual Hakama that most Shinigami wore.

Tsukune was wearing black Hakama pants. A deep, dark blue Michiyuki covered his most of his body. A rectangular cut stretched from his neck to about mid-chest and would've left his chest exposed had it not been for some sort of black material beneath it. His sleeves were rather large too.

Tsukune opened his eyes as he realized his transformation. As he moved his arm, he noticed something seemed to be stuck in one of the large sleeves. Her peered inside and noticed his sword hanging the bottom part of his sleeve. He couldn't help but give a barely contained smile as he a new power surged within him. But as he turned around and looked behind him, he saw something that he did not expect.

"AUUUUUHHHH! What's my body doing on the floor?!" A now panicked Tsukune yelled out as he pointed to his body, which rested peacefully on the floor.

Ichigo's eye twitched. He had _completely_ forgotten about that effect. And as Tsukune looked at Ichigo in search of an answer, Ichigo could only do one thing.

He sighed.

****

**Mmm… sorry about the low quality. My freakin USB got wiped out randomly. I lost all my files, including the next chapter for this story. I had to rewrite it though I think I'm missing a bit of stuff. Again, sorry for not writing my best. I'll be back to normal next chapter. I'm just frustrated that all my stuff got erased :/**

**And… I decided to give Tsukune a little show time. This was after all his show originally. Don't' worry, Tsukune and Mizore won't replace Ichigo, this was just a temporary thing. I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless!**

**Plus, I think Mizore is made out of win so you know.**


	14. Vacation

**Sorry about the long break. I forgot I had finals and well… it sorta caught me by surprise. Spend hours studying! Well, hopefully my mind isn't too full of science and hasn't lost its edge!**

**P.S. Actually, I completely forgot about fanfic for a while. It wasn't until I looked at another USB I had that I realized about this story. I'm sorry about forgetting! Well, let's see if I still have my fans. It's odd, I don't remember saving it to this particular USB… strange, but whatever. At least it reminded me to write!**

****

"Well?!"

It seemed Tsukune wasn't taking this literal 'out of body' experience too well.

"Aren't you gonna say something Ichigo!"

Yea, not too well.

"Basically… you're kinda…" Ichigo paused, trying to find the correct words. Then he simply shrugged as he said the first thing that came to mind.

"You're kinda dead." Was his simple answer.

Tsukune's reaction was not so simple.

"What! I'm DEAD?! How could this have happened! I thought you said you'd be careful! What am I going to tell Mizore-chan? I'm DEAD!" Tsukune fell to his knees as he grasped his head whilst shaking it about frantically.

Ichigo gave a disgruntled sigh as he looked at the grieving form in front of him. He felt like palming his face at the moment, but that wouldn't do him any good. So, he tried thinking of another way to put it.

"Okay, you're _not _dead." Ichigo said and the response was immediate as Tsukune turned up to look at him.

"I'm not?" Was his hopeful reply.

"Well, not technically. _Technically_ you're just out of your body, which still has a beating heart." Then, Ichigo gestured Tsukune towards his body. "Take a look for yourself."

Tsukune tentatively approached his still body, which looked like it was sleeping. He put a hand over his body's chest and felt a strong, but slow heartbeat. He was relieved to see that he was still breathing as well

"Yea… so, if you feel like hopping back in you can." Ichigo further explained.

Tsukune paused before taking a look at Ichigo, who raised a questioning eyebrow. "So… basically you could've just told me that this was an 'out of body' experience rather than saying I was dead?" Tsukune asked, giving Ichigo a flat look.

Ichigo turned his eyes away from the annoyed boy as he scratched his head in an embarrassment. "Y-Yea… I guess I could've."

Now it was Tsukune's turn to sigh, but at the same time, it was one of relief. He probably would've had a heart attack if he found out he was dead! Wait…

"So, I guess just hop back into your body." Ichigo spoke up.

"I guess I should. Wait, I have a question."

"What?"

"Do I still have the same power when I go back into my body?" Tsukune asked.

"No. You have to actually be outside of your body to use this power." Ichigo stated as he released his Bankai.

"So… when I'm inside my body, how do I get back out then?" Tsukune asked as he tried figuring out how to get into his body. The next thing he knew he was sucked in as a feeling of cold water surrounded him.

"Whoa!" He said as he got up, this time in his real body. "That was… strange!"

"Yea, it's weird isn't it?" Ichigo said as he gave a light chuckle.

"Definitely!" Tsukune nodded his head, agreeing. His expression took on a slightly more serious look as he asked, "Do I need to go through some training?"

The moment Tsukune asked that, Ichigo felt a wave of nostalgia hit him. Somehow, he could almost picture the day he began training with Urahara. He knew what it was like to suddenly have power and want to use it right away. He'd have to be careful if he did train Tsukune. Though he doubted Tsukune would abuse his power, he would still be cautious nonetheless.

"You would. And I'm going to train you only on one condition."

"Eh? What's the condition?" Tsukune asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Don't tell _anyone_ that you got this power from me." Ichigo said as he looked at Tsukune with serious eyes.

"Ah… yea. I won't. But what if I need to use it?" Tsukune replied.

"Hmm. That is the reason I gave you the power I guess." Ichigo and Tsukune looked at the ground as they contemplated on their future actions.

Ichigo thought for a bit before he realized something. His hand reached into his pocket before he pulled out the badge Rukia had given to him. He didn't really need it at the moment, and it would be the only way Tsukune could actually use his power.

"Hey Tsukune, take this." Said person looked up just in time to catch the medal hurtling towards him. Tsukune caught it and took a look at it. The decoration was very peculiar to him and he wondered what it was for. As if to answer his unasked question, Ichigo spoke up.

"This is for you for when you need to transform. Just place the skull side on your chest and your body will fall backwards, leaving you in your spiritual form." Ichigo explained.

"Oh… ok." :O

"Yup." -_-

The two stood there a moment, a strange silence overcoming them. At the moment, they really had nothing else to say to each other. Just then, Ichigo looked up at the sky and noticed it was getting darker.

"Hey, I think we should head back. We need to prepare for exams." Ichigo stated to which Tsukune nodded.

"Yea, especially me. I hope I pass." Tsukune sighed, "I don't want to spend summer vacation in school."

Ichigo looked at him for a while before saying, "Well, let's go back then. The girls are probably wondering where we are."

"Yea. I'll probably get Mizore-chan to tutor me. That teacher was no good." Tsukune said as his shoulders slumped forward.

"Teacher?" Ichigo asked, puzzled.

"I'll tell you on the way back." Tsukune replied. And with those words, they headed back to school as Tsukune recounted his tale.

---

A week passed and finals came. Mizore ended up tutoring Tsukune while Yukari ended up tutoring Kurumu. Ichigo simply rested as did Moka since they had already been studying throughout the semester and they didn't have to worry much. When the group received their test scores back, they all rejoiced. Tsukune had managed to pass his exams with a fairly average grade. Even Kurumu passed… though it had been just barely. As for Moka, Yukari, and Ichigo, there really wasn't much to say since they passed the tests with ease.

"Congratulations on passing Tsukune." Mizore spoke up as she gave her boyfriend a smile. Currently they were walking towards the bus stop where everyone would meet to leave to the human world.

"I know, and I really thought I wouldn't do well. I started panicking during the test and my hands were shaking and all." He replied sheepishly.

But all that went away when Mizore nuzzled against his shoulder. "But you passed."

Tsukune smiled at her cute gesture. "I guess that's what counts." He said, earning a nod from his girlfriend.

They walked silently for the remainder of the walk. Just as they were about to reach the bus stop, they spotted Kurumu who was oddly enough hiding behind a tree. Tsukune and Mizore looked at each other before walking over to see what was up.

"What are you doing Kurumu-chan?" Tsukune asked only to be silenced by the Succubus.

"Shh! I'm spying on Moka and Ichigo!" She said before turning away her attention.

"Wouldn't you normally interrupt them?" Mizore asked, earning a hot glare from the Succubus as she turned around.

"I would… but Ichigo wouldn't like that. Besides, I want to win him fairly." She bit her bottom lip as she said this. That's when Tsukune and Mizore realized that Kurumu was actually _trying_ to win Ichigo's love. All this time they thought she had been playing around. But this little action told them something else. It told them that she was actually _trying_. This… surprised them.

"You… love Ichigo don't you?" Mizore asked, earning a blush from the blue-haired girl.

"Yea. At first I liked him because he was strong and cool and has this awesome power. Then when we began talking, a connection sort of formed. I had told him he was my destined one to make Moka jealous… but I really think he might actually be it."

Tsukune and Mizore simply stood there as they digested what Kurumu had said. It had been straight from the heart. They looked at each other for a moment, wondering what to do. Oddly enough, it was Mizore who spoke up. "You're hesitating because now that you truly like him, you're afraid of putting yourself in a negative light. I don't think he'll get mad simply because you walked up to them. He'd only get mad if you tried rubbing your breasts in his face."

Kurumu looked up at the snow girl, surprised at her rather long statement since she was normally a girl of little words. "I guess you're right." Kurumu agreed, "I know Ichigo better than anyone here. I don't know why I was being so worried."

"Go for it Kurumu-chan, I'm sure you'll make Ichigo happy." Tsukune spoke sincerely. He didn't know why he had said it, but for some reason, he felt he said it because he owed Ichigo for granting him power. Besides, Kurumu wasn't a bad girl. Just very… eccentric.

Kurumu nodded as she smiled at the couple. "I will, but not right now. We might as well walk together towards the bus stop. I know I'll win Ichigo's heart by the end of summer vacation!" She said confidently as they headed towards the bus stop.

---

"I think I'll pass." Ichigo denied. But Moka persisted.

"Come on! Let's sit in the tree please? We'll have a nice view!" She begged Ichigo, pulling out all the stops. She looked at Ichigo with big round eyes as her lips pouted. Plus the fact that her summer dress showed a little bit of cleavage made Ichigo's face warm up. She continued staring for a minute longer until he capitulated.

"Fine! We'll sit in the stupid tree!" He deferred to her. Somehow, he felt like he'd gotten soft. With how many times he'd seen Yoroichi naked he should've been immune to feminine charms.

So now they sat in the branch, overlooking the ocean. Its vast form crashed against the rocks in strong, loud torrents. "It's finally the first day of summer vacation Ichigo. It's too bad you can't go back home since it isn't allowed."

Ichigo simply shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. There really isn't much of a difference between being here and at home. I do miss my sisters though."

Moka stared at Ichigo's face and couldn't help but blush. The way he looked right now, he looked so mature, so caring. It was a look only a father held when caring for his daughters. He must've been extremely close to his sisters in order to merit such a look. Either way, she liked it and found it extremely handsome.

"Is there something on my face?" Ichigo asked causing Moka to blink before realizing she had been staring at Ichigo.

"A-Ah! No! I was just… admiring you. You really care about your sisters don't you?" She asked, to which Ichigo nodded.

"Yea. I had to raise them myself practically because my dad was no help." He asked, holding a reminiscent look.

"How come?" Moka tentatively asked. She felt like she was hitting a sensitive topic here.

Ichigo looked her for a second, contemplating on what to say. He didn't want pity from her, which was something he was sure to receive if he told her that his mom died. It's not like he was sad about it anymore either. Even though she had died, he knew she was still around, guiding, protecting him. Well, he never was good at coming up with excuses. He might as well just tell her.

"Well, when mom died I practically had to take care of Yuzu and Karin. Dad had no idea how to raise kids, especially girls since that was mostly mom's job. So I had to do everything." Ichigo said with a small smile. Those were good times. Before Soul Reaping… before everything that had happened recently.

"Oh." Moka said softly. This caused Ichigo to turn and look at her.

"You don't have to act sad you know. That was a long time ago." He said simply.

Those words made Moka's heart feel a little lighter. She was actually feeling bad for Ichigo. But then she realized that was silly. If Ichigo didn't feel bad about it, why should she? With that in mind, she supposed it was alright to ask this next question, "How did your mom die?"

Ichigo stiffened at that. How was he supposed to tell her that she had been killed by a Hollow? If he did that, he would have to explain what and who he was and what he did. He did not want to get into this conversation right now if ever. Little did he know that had caused a scowl to form on his face, making Moka panic slightly.

"S-Sorry for asking such a question! I didn't mean it Ichigo!" She said as she raised her hands in front of her while waving them.

Ichigo gave her a puzzled look at her panicked form. What was up with her? But before he had time to ask, a one Kurono Kurumu appeared along with Tsukune and Mizore.

"Yahoo! Ichigo! How's my Destined One doing?" She chirped cheerfully. Ichigo noted she seemed a bit more peppy than usual. That's when he wondered why he was using a word such as peppy. It wasn't very manly.

Aside from that, Ichigo simply shrugged as he leapt down from the tree. "I'm doing fine I guess."

This actually surprised Mizore, and Tsukune who whispered to Mizore, "Hey, he didn't deny it did he?"

Mizore nodded. "Then again it could mean he probably thinks of it as a nickname."

"True," Tsukune agreed, "but who takes 'Destined One' as a nickname?"

"He's pretty dense though… like you were." Mizore coolly replied, making Tsukune rub the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Aside from that, what do you think will be Kurumu-chan's next move?"

"Well, I would normally assume she would rub her breasts against his face, but she's changed recently."

Tsukune nodded. "I concur, this change in her is unprecedented, an unexpected transformation!"

"Yea, but keep in mind Tsukune that it could just be temporary." She argued.

"Hm, yes, but her confession earlier didn't sound fake. It could be that she's actually changed wholeheartedly." Tsukune countered.

Mizore thought about it for a moment. "You could be right Tsukune."

"I think I am." He said and then there was a pause. "Hey Mizore-chan?"

"Hm?"

"Why are we commentating on Kurumu's relationship with Ichigo like sports announcers?"

Mizore pulled the lollip from her mouth and rotated it about. "I have no idea." She replied before putting it back in her mouth.

Before they had time to figure out this strange behavior, the bus pulled out from the tunnel.

"Hey… has anyone seen Yukari-chan?" Tsukune spoke up. This got everyone's attention as they started to look around.

"I don't think anyone's seen Yukari." Mizore safely assumed.

"Hello everyone!"

"Well speaking of who, what took you so long? The bus is already here!" Kurumu demanded as she approached the younger girl.

"S-Sorry everyone. I was having second thoughts about going to the human world. But I decided to come in the end." Yukari explained as she held onto her wand protectively.

Kurumu sighed. "Jeez, next time you're feeling worried about something like this, you could tell one of us, even me!"

Mizore leaned toward Tsukune and whispered, "Another show of maturity."

Tsukune nodded as he wrote it down in his notebook. Wait… since when did he have a notebook?

But Yukari smiled. She was glad that despite Kurumu not having a single brain cell, she was at least a caring person in heart. "Thank you milk jugs, I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

Kurumu gave a forced smile. She didn't like being called milk jugs, but she didn't think it would bode well with Ichigo if she took retribution on the young witch. "Like I said... no problem… just don't call me milk jugs ok?" She said through clenched teeth.

Yukari simply smiled. "Ok milk jugs!"

Kurumu was grinding her teeth so hard she felt like they were going to break. But she resisted and decided to turn around. She turned to face Ichigo and soon all her anger ebbed away. Though Ichigo wasn't smiling, the look he held was distinctly happy. It seemed her resisting had been a good idea. It also seemed that she knew Ichigo pretty well for her to know he was happy when it didn't look like it. That made her heart flutter slightly, causing a blush to creep onto her cheeks.

"Are you alright Kurumu? Your face is red."

Kurumu shook her head before giving him a reassuring smile. "I'm alright!"

Again Mizore leaned towards Tsukune before whispering, "Now she showed signs of restraint and humility. I think you were right about her change Tsukune."

Tsukune nodded before he took out his handy dandy notebook and jotted down some notes. He paused a minute before throwing the pencil and notebook over his shoulders. Seriously, why did he even have that thing anyway?

"That's good." Ichigo said, "Don't want you to get sick when summer vacations starts."

Those words had different effects on different people. For Moka, she became slightly jealous that those words hadn't been directed towards her. For Kurumu, she felt like she was about to fly even without her wings. For Yukari, she simply frowned. She would've preferred it more had Ichigo's attention been directed towards Moka. For Tsukune and Mizore, it caused them to go into announcer mode again, which ended up with Tsukune tossing the same notebook over his shoulders. He couldn't seem to get rid of it. Then Tsukune realized the bus was still waiting for them to board.

"Well, the bus is here guys. Shall we get in?" Tsukune announced to the group, drawing their attention.

After everyone got on, the bus drove away into the mysterious tunnel. Little did they know that their vacation wouldn't be all rest.


	15. Yukari

**Hopefully this will turn out better. There's not going to be any major changes. The only changes will be concerning Ichigo and his interaction with other normal humans.**

**Oh, just to let you know, Ichigo is not carrying Zangetsu with him. Their stuff is in the bus, which was supposed to take them directly to the hotel.**

**I MUST SAY… this chapter is far better than my previous one. The entire last half was redone. **

****

The bus soon emerged from the tunnel and entered the human world. Immediately they were bombarded by the bright yellow sun that floated over them high in the sky. As the group took in the scene change, they saw many people loitering about. Men, women, kids with popsicles all walked around peacefully. Tsukune couldn't believe it; he was back in the human world.

"I'm baaaack!" Tsukune joyously declared as he jumped up from his seat, "I really did make it back to the human world in one piece!"

Mizore chuckled a bit when Tsukune pasted his face against the window. His eyes were wide almost to the point of popping out their sockets. His eyes lit up when he saw a city a distance away and wondered if that's where they were going.

But his dreams were crushed when the bus suddenly took a left turn past a sign that read 'no trespassing.'

"Huh?" Kurumu spoke up, confused, "Maybe it's just my imagination, but didn't that sign say no trespassing?"

"It does seem like we're going further into the mountains." Yukari agreed.

All students turned around when the bus driver began laughing. It wasn't just a normal laugh either. It was a laugh that said he knew what was going on and wasn't going to tell them.

They all gulped as the bus driver suddenly pulled into a secluded area.

---

"Wow! Where are we?" Kurumu asked excitedly, "A sunflower garden?"

"It's beautiful!" Moka remarked excitedly as well, "Is this where we're staying? I had no idea there were such places in the human world too!"

Everyone took in the sight before them. It was like an endless ocean as the wind swept across the field, making the sunflowers sway to and fro. The whisper of the wind was soothing to the mind and it seemed to have a melodic rhythm to it.

"…." Nekonome stared at the area they were in before turning to face the bus driver. "Huh? This is a totally different spot than where we had planned isn't it?"

Ichigo managed to overhear this and turned around to face his sensei. "What do you mean not the right spot?" Ichigo asked as he approached them. He wasn't beginning to like where this was going.

But the bus driver was the one to speak up as he said, "Well, I thought we should try stopping by this stop for a bit. Currently this is quite a well known spot in the human world."

"Well known for the sunflowers?" Ichigo asked.

The bus driver gave a bone-chilling smile. "Negative. It's well known for being a **mysterious spot** where one person after another has been **spirited away.**"

Needless to say, Ichigo felt like facevaulting. He didn't know why he even bothered hoping for normal days anymore. They would never come.

"Don't you think that in this day and age that spiriting away is quite poetic?" The mysterious bus driver asked.

"Not really…" Ichigo said as his eyebrow twitched rather violently. The bus driver just smiled before he handed Ichigo a newspaper.

"You'd best read the local newspaper for details." He said as Ichigo took the newspaper and sifted through it, "Well, you guys had better be plenty careful not to get spirited away too."

Ichigo had the sneaking suspicion that something was about to go horribly wrong.

"Well Nekonome-sensei, why don't we go out to eat? I'll treat you to some yummy fish."

Ah… there was that horribly wrong thing. And before Ichigo could do anything to stop them, the bus driver and their sensei had left them behind. Ichigo and the others could only look on as they realized their stuff and Zangetsu were left on the bus….

---

"Waahh! They left us behind! What're we going to do now? I don't like this! I wanna go home now!" Little Yukari cried out as she waved her hands about. This only served to irritate and already irritated Kurono Kurumu.

"What are you talking about! We just got here! If you don't stop complaining, I'll _really_ give you something to cry about!" Kurumu threatened.

Mizore leaned in towards Tsukune. "That's definitely not going to score any brownie points with Ichigo is it?"

Tsukune shook his head. "I don't think so. Did you see how large the tic on her forehead was?"

"It was the size of Tokyo I'd imagine." Mizore nodded, "How many points does she have currently?"

Tsukune pulled out the notebook from his pocket and looked through the pages. "Well, she's still in the positive by at least 4 points."

"Well, that's good to hear." Mizore said before blinking, "Since when did you start carrying a notebook?"

"I have no idea." Tsukune replied in resignation.

Mizore gave her boyfriend a curious look before turning her attention back to the group. She just barely managed to catch the end of Ichigo's sentence.

"…don't know, but I thought I saw something move in the flowers."

"What!" Kurumu yelled before a strange roar came from the flowers.

"This doesn't happen to be a friend of yours does it?" Ichigo asked Moka, who simply shook her head.

"For now we should get away from this field," Moka said as she looked around, "There's a cabin over there! Let's go!"

---

The group arrived at the cabin, all panting slightly. This confused Ichigo since he had been in fights with some of the members. Why would they be out of breath so quickly? It had only been a 100 yard dash at the most. As he thought about it, he came to the conclusion that it was because there wasn't enough spirit particles in the human world. As for Tsukune, he was just plain out of shape.

"What was that! We're in the human world right? Don't you think that was weird?" A bewildered Tsukune asked.

Moka took on a serious look before she replied, "Spirited away… I wonder what's been going on here. What's written in the newspaper the bus driver gave us? We need to find out what kind of place this _is_…"

Deftly Ichigo pulled out the newspaper before he began to read it, "It says here that…"

---

"In Okabanachou in Fujimi city 18 sightseers have disappeared one after another." The radio announcer spoke as the two people in the car listened, "There has always been a legend that a **witch** lives on a hill in that very area. For that reason there have been rumors that these incidences are the work of a witch!"

"People with interests in the occult have also started to visit the area…"

"Ahaha sempai, they're talking about us!" The girl with the map spoke up.

"Heh, well Youko, you really do love the occult." The sempai smiled as they reached a familiar landmark, "Look, we're almost at **witch hill!**"

"This is going to be great!" Youko enthused, "I hear that it's a beautiful place with a bunch of sunflowers in bloom. Because of the construction they're all going to be cut down soon, so we have to go see them while we still can."

---

Mizore leaned in towards Tsukune and whispered, "I'm surprised Ichigo hasn't gotten aroused with all the girls pressing against him like that."

Tsukune nodded. "I agree, but you can tell it's affecting him."

"How so?" Mizore asked.

"Look at his ears." Tsukune said as Mizore did so.

"Oh… they're a bright red aren't they?"

"Yup." Tsukune said, "Should I write this down?"

Mizore nodded. "You might as well." She said as she rolled her lollipop to the other side of her mouth.

Tsukune did so, giving in to his fate of being a sports announcer for Ichigo's life. When he finished writing, he was startled when Kurumu and Yukari began fighting each other. He simply sweatdropped at their actions, not bothering to figure out how this had started. So he looked over to Ichigo and asked what they had found out.

Ichigo sighed as he began explaining to the group, "I think Nekonome-sensei wants us to figure out the mystery behind the spiriting away. Otherwise why would we be here?"

"I agree with Ichigo," Moka said, "It's supposed to be a camp for the newspaper club after all. This is probably what we're supposed to do."

"NOO!" All heads turned to Yukari, who had yelled out, "It's too dangerous! This is the human world; even my tarot cards say this vacation is ill-fated!"

That had done it. She didn't care whether Ichigo was there or not, but she was _tired_ of hearing the young witch complaining. "I've had enough of you Yukari-chan." Kurumu spoke in a deadly serious tone, "Tarot cards are worthless anyway! And you've been complaining all day! You're such a wimp! How long are you going to try to hide under your bed?"

She straightened her back, her hands on her hips as she said in an authoritative voice, "You really are just a baby. If you're so worried then why don't you just go home by yourself!"

Mizore leaned in towards Tsukune, but Tsukune instead brought up a hand and shook his head. "Now's not the time Mizore-chan."

The room got quiet and everyone could see the dejected look on Yukari's face. Her little body trembled as she whispered, "Wh-Why you…"

Then she raised her head and spoke up in a loud voice, "Don't be so stupid! I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Wait! Yukari-chan! Where are you going?" Moka spoke with concern as the young witch got up and slammed the door behind her, leaving the group behind.

Moka then turned to Kurumu. "Come on! That was going too far, Yukari-chan is running up the mountain!" Moka chastised Kurumu, "We've got to follow her."

"Yea, we have to follow her." Ichigo agreed before he turned to Kurumu and asked, "Do you need help?"

"Nah.. I'm fine..." She replied as she pulled the tarot card from her forehead that Yukari had thrown just before leaving, "Good thing I don't have much brains."

Ichigo and the rest of the group sweatdropped at that.

---

Yukari ran until she couldn't run anymore. Thoughts ran wildly through her head, memories of when she was younger surged. She sat down on the floor in a pile of fallen trees. She brought her knees to her chest as she thought about how no one paid attention to how she felt. She had been brought up to view humans as enemies, but ever since she'd met Ichigo that had all changed. She didn't know what to think anymore.

Suddenly, a loud piercing noise filled that air as Yukari turned to find out where it was coming from. "A-A scream?" She asked herself as her legs began moving towards the noise, "Could they be in danger?"

Soon she found herself sprinting, trying to find the location of the scream. Hearing some voices somewhere in the distance, she decided to follow them.

"Wh-What's with this sunflower garden?" Youko screamed as she struggled against the flowers which were trying to swallow up her sempai. "This can't be happening! Someone help!"

Finally Yukari arrived to the scene, but she froze when she saw who it was that screamed. _"An unknown… human"_ Yukari thought to herself before she heard the girl ask, "Who are you? A-Are you a **witch?!**"

The way she had said those words brought a cold indifference to her heart as she spun on her heels and began to walk away. "My mistake! I thought someone else was in danger! I wouldn't have bothered to come if I had known it was some human stranger." She said in a chilly tone.

"W-Wait! Help me! She's going to be eaten!" Youko begged to the retreating witch, "My Sempai! My Sempai is going to be eaten by these sunflowers!"

"…What?" Yukari asked as she turned around and inspected the scene more closely.

"It's my fault! I was the one who said she should come to this 'Witch Hill' as a test of courage… and because of me, my sempai was suddenly attacked by the sunflowers!" Tears were forming at the edge of the girl's eyes as she struggled to keep her sempai from being eaten.

"_Wh-What is this…" _Yukari thought as she looked on in horror. _'Is that a plant!? A plant feeding on a human? Could this be… a type of magic plant…?"_

Suddenly, a growling voice came from one of the 'plants' as it said, "**F…oood…**"

Then it turned to Yukari and opened a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. It used its vines as limbs as it stalked towards Yukari, hungrily growling, "**Food…"**

It lifted itself high into the air by using its stem. It roared as it lunged at Yukari who barely managed to miss being eaten. "Kyaaa!" She screamed as she was thrown backwards from the impact. But even as she lay there stunned, she began connecting the dots.

"_C-Could this be… what's been causing all those people to be _spirited away_?"_ She thought as surprise and shock filled her, _"All those people who disappeared were eaten by __**this?!**__"_

But she had no more time to think as she saw the monster ready itself for another attack. Thinking quickly she pulled out some of her tarot cards, holding 10 in one hand. With resolution, she yelled, "I'm not going to let myself be eaten by this thing!" as she threw her magic-induced tarot cards at the monster plant.

The tarots hit their mark and embedded themselves into the plant. She was glad that her plan seemed to be working and was about to make her finishing move when she was suddenly hoisted up into the air by her legs. The plant monster had managed to catch her just before she had made her move!

---

"There, I knew I heard someone over there!" Moka said as she pointed somewhere behind her, "It sounded like a scream!"

Kurumu walked far behind the group. She could hear how they were all concerned over the young witch and she couldn't help but feel guilty. If Yukari was in danger, it would be all her fault that she was.

"_Yukari-chan…" _She thought as the guilt accumulated insider her chest, _"Maybe I went too far…"_

She moved away from her thoughts as she looked at everyone else who was busy searching for Yukari. She tightened her first as she too joined in on the search.

---

"_Someone save me…" _Yukari begged within her mind, _"Save me… someone save me…"_

"_Wimp. You really are just a baby…"_ The memory of Kurumu's words somehow snapped her out of her pitiful trance. Just in time too since the jaws of the plant were about to dig into her flesh.

A surge of power filled her as she lifted up her wand. She called upon a tarot card which obeyed her call and cleanly sliced the top jaw of the plant that was about to eat her. Deftly she escaped and landed on the ground.

"I can't believe I'd have to go think of someone like her at a time like this." Yukari said in a serious tone, "I can't stand it. I'm not going to let her make fun of me again."

Her eyes now held a look of determination as she looked at the roaring plant monsters. They didn't seem to like the fact that she had sliced one of their comrades in half. But she was prepared and their roar did not terrify her anymore. She stood her ground as they lunged at her with open mouths.

"Hey, what are you doing? Watch out!" Youko warned the younger girl who was about to be eaten.

But her worry was in vain as multiple tarots were shot out and cleanly sliced the other plant monsters in half as well. _"The reason my attack didn't work before was because I didn't put enough power into it. If I harness the full magic of this spell I can increase the attack force. I can win!"_

She felt all the magic from her body drain from her as she placed the power into the attack. Tarot cards flew everywhere, cutting down any plant monster that reared its ugly head. In less than a minute there was nothing but corpses of the plant monsters littering the ground. Yukari suddenly felt weak in the knees as her eyesight became blurry. But she smiled as she fell backwards.

"…_There, see? I am a genius after all."_ Was her last thought before darkness took her.

---

"Waahh… what is this? Plant monsters" Kurumu said as she surveyed the chaos, "Did Yukari-chan beat them all up? Wow…"

"Never mind that, where's Yukari?" Ichigo spoke up.

"Found her!" Yelled Tsukune as he ushered everyone to where he was. Relieved sighs escaped the group as Tsukune cradled Yukari in his arms. She was alive and was breathing normally save for a little sweat that dripped down the side of her face.

Two girls suddenly came up to the newspaper club and thanked them. "Is she with you? We'd like to thank witch-san for saving our lives! If it hadn't been for her, sempai and I would've been eaten by those plant monsters!"

Ichigo was about to reply, but noticed something. They were looking straight through him at Moka. But for the moment, it seemed no one else noticed that Ichigo was invisible to the normal humans. He would keep that on the down low for the moment. He didn't want to start up any questions at the moment. He backed away, and moved slightly next to Kurumu so that she was in their line of sight. If he had stayed in front of Kurumu and the humans had asked Kurumu a question, the newspaper group would've noticed that the humans seemed to be looking through him instead of _at_ him.

The whole group minus Kurumu and Ichigo turned to look at the young witch in awe and surprise. Kurumu had distanced herself away from the group and was standing on a patch of sunflowers that hadn't been turned into monsters. A small smile played on her lips as she thought, _"She really did beat them. I guess she is the type that hates losing after all."_

Then she spotted Yukari's hat hidden somewhere beneath a pile of debris. She got up and went over to pick it up. She held it in her hands a bit, thinking of how Yukari had defeated those monsters. Slowly, she turned around and walked back to the group.

"You're not weak at all Yukari-chan." She spoke in a proud voice as she placed the hat on Yukari, "I'm sorry for saying those awful things to you before."

Everyone, even Ichigo despite his current worry, gave a small smile at the touching scene before them. Mizore also gave the scene and additional thumbs up as Tsukune jotted down some notes. While all this was happening, Ichigo looked around him as he began to wonder what was up with this mountain. They were supposed to be in the human world, yet there were monsters attacking them here as well. Just what exactly was going on?

---

Deep in the mountain and isolated from human taint, two figures conversed in a hidden cabin.

"A witch… on my hill…" The figure that was clearly touched by age's hand questioned her apprentice.

"Yes, O-Yukata-sama." The apprentice said as she inclined her head in respect, "Despite her youth, she possess quite strong magic. The witch completely destroyed the magic plants we entrusted to guard our priceless sunflower garden.

The elderly figure gave a weak and tired smile beneath her hooded face. "Well well… How many years has it been since I last met a real witch… We must welcome her. The young witch… we are of the same blood."

---

"Boy it's hot." Moka complained.

"The human world does have seasons unlike Youkai Academy." Ichigo replied, earning a smile from the pink-haired vampire.

"Yea, that's true." She agreed.

"So how is she?" Ichigo asked as he placed the bucket filled with water next to Moka.

"She hasn't woken up yet." She replied, "She's doesn't have any serious injuries, but she's exhausted from using too much of her power during the battle."

Ichigo inclined his head as he thought about Yukari for a moment. The girl had risked her life to protect some strangers. In truth he'd never thought Yukari could pull of something like this. It wasn't because he didn't have faith in her; he'd just never seen her fight. She had truly amazed him. Now, here she was resting in Moka's arms as the group sat beneath a large tree that provided enough shade for all of them. Even though he was thinking this, he was all thinking of his situation. He was hoping the people Yukari had saved wouldn't come back. He got nervous just thinking about the trouble it could cause.

"I wonder if she's okay?" Kurumu asked from the adjacent side of the tree. Moka and Ichigo turned to face her.

"I was surprised at first, I didn't know she had such a power to defeat these monsters." She began, "but if she's so strong, why is she so scared of the human world?"

Kurumu gave a small smile as she continued, "I guess there are many things we don't know about Yukari-chan. That includes witches, since they're the hybrid of human and ayashi."

"Umm… how is Yukari-chan doing?" Youko asked as she reached the tree where the newspaper club was resting, "Is she awake yet?"

Ichigo's panic returned to him. But as he thought about it, why did he have to keep it a secret? Oh right, they'd want explanations and Ichigo didn't feel like dishing them out.

"Oh… not yet." Moka replied, noticing it was the people whom Yukari had rescued earlier. No one noticed Ichigo stiffen a little as Youko's eyes wandered around, looking at each member of the group minus him.

Youko then leaned down, bending her knees as she took a good look at Yukari before saying, "So, Yukari-chan is the witch that lives around this area right?"

Ichigo was about to reply, but he caught himself. If he replied and didn't get an answer back, Moka would wonder why the girl didn't respond to him. This vacation was quickly becoming more trouble than it was worth.

Thankfully Moka spoke up as she replied, "No, she's not. We're just here on a research project."

Youko's eyes widened at the news. "So I was wrong?"

Youko scratched her head as a puzzled look played on her face. "I was wondering because… this area holds a legend that a witch lives here." She began to explain, "Especially in that ranch, we call it **"Witch's Ranch"** because there is a rumor that a witch lives there."

"But recently, there was a decision to build a new factory around this area. Since then, there have been people missing. That's why people have been scared; they think that these missing people are the factory managers that angered the witch and met the **'Divine Punisher'**"

"You guys don't have any proof, so please do not randomly blame witches." Everyone turned to see Yukari struggling to get up, "Humans can never understand witches."

"Yukari-chan!" Many people exclaimed at once as the witch got up to her feet. One Kurono Kurumu was especially excited.

"Thank goodness you're awake! How are you feeling?" She asked with concern. But she was simply ignored by Yukari who turned a cold shoulder towards her."

"_Oh ya… I remember, Yukari-chan and I just had a fight."_ Kurumu thought in dismay. "Well, anyway… if this area is so dangerous, we should probably leave as soon as possible." Kurumu suggested.

"Then shall we leave and go to the town where our motel is located? We might be able to catch up to Nekonome-sensei. We should probably tell her about THIS INCIDENT." Moka too suggested, putting a heavy emphasis on the last two words.

"Oh! Then we can probably give you guys a ride… even though there are more than five of us." Youko offered as she pointed toward her car, "We're pretty close to town."

"Really? That's great!" Kurumu quipped up, "I'd hate to have to walk all the way to the city."

Ichigo's pacing heart slowed down considerably as dread filled him. So far everything had gone smoothly up this point and now _this_ came up. All he needed to do was make up an excuse that he wouldn't be going with them in the car. That way Youko and her sempai wouldn't have to make room for a person they couldn't see. But as he thought of an excuse, he looked at Yukari, who was standing stock still for some reason.

"What's the matter Yukari?" Ichigo asked. The young witch simply shook her head before following Moka and the others to the car. There he stopped Kurumu who was towards the car. He himself couldn't tell the group he couldn't go with them, so he would ask Kurumu to tell the others.

Before Kurumu could get into the car, he managed to grab her by the arm and pull her a distance away from the car. As he did this, he realized he didn't really have an excuse formed in his head. He was going to have to wing it.

"What's the matter Ichigo?" Kurumu asked, confused at the Shinigami's action.

Ichigo's jaw clenched as he tried hard to find an excuse. "Well, I can't go with you guys."

"Eh? Why not!" Kurumu eyes widened in surprise at the revelation.

"Umm… I have to… take care of something." Was Ichigo's excuse. This in turn made Kurumu give him a worried look.

"If something is wrong, you can tell us you know." She offered to the tense boy.

"_This isn't going to end well."_ Ichigo thought before replying, "Nothing's wrong. It's just something personal. I'll meet up with you guys at the city."

The worried look on Kurumu's face had not disappeared. She could clearly see the worry etched onto his face and how he still hadn't let go of her arm. Whatever it was that was worrying him, she wasn't going to let him go through it alone. She faced him as she placed her hand on his, surprising the Substitute Shinigami.

"I know it may bother you Ichigo, but whatever trouble you're going through, I want to be there to help you. I'm not taking no for an answer so please, let me help." She looked deeply into his eyes, further surprising the Shinigami who blinked at the conviction in her eyes.

Inside he was struggling as to whether or not to let her come with him. He thought about it thoroughly. If he were to go by himself, Moka might say something to Youko like, "Oh, our friend Ichigo isn't coming with us." Then the girl would ask who Ichigo was. That would cause confusion to say the least since they wouldn't have seen him at all in the first place. Plus, he needed her to tell the others he wasn't going.

His head dipped down as he sighed, why did everything have to be so troubling? "Alright." He replied as he lifted his head. The response was immediate as Kurumu gave a bright smile that caused Ichigo to blush a little. She had looked… cute. Undeniably cute. Ichigo mentally shook his head.

"Alright, I'll go tell the others." Kurumu stated as she happily skipped to the car. Ichigo looked on and could not help but sigh. After all, he had become quite proficient at it.

"Oh man…" Ichigo muttered. Ichigo was wrong however. It wasn't 'oh man' he should be saying, rather, he should be saying 'oh _woman_.'

"Hey guys, I'm not going with you." Kurumu said to the group, an undercurrent of victory and mirth in her voice.

"Why not milk jugs?" Yukari asked, voicing everyone's unasked question.

"Ichigo asked me to help him with something personal. We'll meet you in the city. Bye!" She said before closing the door and walking away from the car.

"Wait! I'm going with them too!" Moka said as she struggled to get out of the car, but stopped at the sound of Youko's voice.

"Actually we need to get going right now, traffic hour is about to hit and we might not make it all the way to the city with this amount of gas left unless we stop at a gas station soon." She replied apologetically. Then again, it wasn't like Moka could get out of the car. In the back seat were Yukari who sat on Moka's lap and Mizore who sat on Tsukune's lap.

Moka could only sigh in defeat as the car pulled away. And as she looked up, she could see Kurumu waving at them from the driver's rear view mirror. The day did not belong to her at all.

---

A solitary figure looked down from a tree branch as the car plus Ichigo and Kurumu disappeared from the area. "Master… those humans made a mess in our sunflower garden and just left." The figure spoke in a quiet, seething voice.

"_Ruby… are you just going to let them get away like that…?" _The master communicated through her wand to her disciple, _"I've told you before… we, the witches, look after our tribe mates. Make sure to make her join us…"_

Ruby's eyes narrowed as she replied, "But… it seems like she has companions with her."

"_Hmph… they must be merely humans… if they get in your way, you may kill them. Right now… we want as many comrades as possible. In order to protect this land… WE MUST PUNISH THOSE HATED HUMANS!"_

"_Bring that young witch to our ranch… can you do that? My beloved disciple __**Ruby?**__"_

"…I understand master." She replied before she lifted her wand over her head. She chanted a spell before her body dissolved into a black crow with a wand in its beak. Once the transformation was complete, she flew towards the city where Yukari and her friends would be heading. Trouble would brew soon thereafter.

---

"So, care to tell me what's wrong Ichigo?" Kurumu asked, the happy look on her face not having melted away yet.

Ichigo turned to look at her before returning to face forwards. Currently they were walking in the general direction of the city. Ichigo took in a deep breath of air. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all. The air was nice and crisp. Not only that, but there was an actual sun here. Unbeknownst to everyone, Ichigo loved being in the sun. Once in a while he would simply lie in the grass beneath the bright sun and absorb its warmth or even sit in a chair next to a windowsill as the sunlight filtered through. As he thought about this, Kurumu grew more worried because Ichigo hadn't replied and his ever present scowl was on his face.

"Earth to Ichigo, is everything alright up there?" Kurumu asked as she poked the side of Ichigo's head lightly with her finger.

"Ah yea, sorry. I was just thinking." Ichigo replied, wanting to leave it at that. Of course, Kurumu _couldn't _just leave it at that.

"Thinking about what?" She persisted. Her light heartened a bit when a small smile played against Ichigo's lips.

"As strange as it sounds, I'm thinking about the weather." He replied.

"You're right, that is strange." She smiled at him, "But I think I know why."

Ichigo turned to her and gave a curious look. "Really? Why then?"

"Well, for one, there's an actual sky and seasons here." She replied, hitting the mark directly on the head.

To say Ichigo was surprised would be an understatement. He was also a little shocked that she knew him that well truth be told. "How'd you guess?" He asked as he turned to face the girl before him.

At this question, Kurumu's heart quickened as her cheeks filled with warmth. For some strange reason, now that she had the chance to confess her love to him, she just couldn't seem to take it. She looked up into eyes that had been staring at her, awaiting an answer. Little did the boy in front of her know that his gaze was making her knees weak and tremble. Why now, when she had tricked so many boys in the past with her beauty, why now… was she so out of breath? But her heart already knew the answer.

He was her Destined One.

Ichigo blinked. It seemed Kurumu had suddenly gone mute. "Yo." Ichigo snapped his fingers in front of Kurumu's dazed eyes. Suddenly, she let out a breath as her head drooped down and steam seemed to come out of her ears. As she looked up, Ichigo took note that her eyes had been replaced by swirleys.

"_Hmm… go figure."_ Ichigo thought as he continued walking. She'd eventually catch up he'd reasoned. His reasoning was correct as he heard her footsteps approaching. Thankfully he didn't turn around or he would've seen her breasts having a serious case of the jiggles.

"Wh-Why did you leave me behind!" Kurumu huffed as she finally caught up to him.

Ichigo simply shrugged. "It didn't look like you were coming back any time soon." He replied.

"That's mean!" Were her words as she balled her fist and 'hit' Ichigo's shoulder. Ichigo simply grinned.

"You'll probably hurt yourself more than me if you keep doing that." Ichigo taunted.

"Hmph! Meanie!" Kurumu crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head the other way.

Ichigo's grin widened, but for some reason he felt a strange itch on his chest. He tried scratching it, but it didn't seem to go away nor did it even seem scratchable in the first place. It was like the itch was _in _his heart. Go figure.

"You're going to run into a tree or something if you don't look forward you know." Ichigo stated, his grin yet to have disappeared.

Kurumu simply Hmph'd as she walked on ahead of Ichigo, intent on making him pay for being mean to her! But as she did so, she failed to see the low tree branch until it was too late. Her forehead smacked into the branch, making her stagger backwards as she cursed to stupid piece of wood!

The itch in Ichigo's heart suddenly grew and he did something unexpected. He _laughed_. At the sound of his laughter, Kurumu immediately wheeled around to face him having already forgotten about the pain. But by the time she had fully turned around, Ichigo had stopped laughing and simply stood there, dumbstruck.

"Did… did you just laugh Ichigo?" She asked in a genuinely surprised manner.

"Umm…" Was all Ichigo could say as the tips of his ears turned red.

"What was that!" She suddenly burst into uproarious laughter, surprising Ichigo.

"Huh?" Was Ichigo's bewildered response.

Kurumu had never once laughed that hard in her life! So intense was her laughter that tears began rolling down her cheeks and her body threatened to pass out from the lack of air reaching her lungs. And Ichigo, not only was he now thoroughly embarrassed, but he was rather annoyed as well.

"What… the hell… is so funny!" He demanded as his scowl deepened.

"It's just… too… funny! AHAH!" She continued laughing, despite Ichigo's annoyance with it. But eventually she settled down.

"S-Sorry about that… tee hee… but you're la-laugh was… hehehe." Kurumu couldn't go two words without wanting to burst out into laughter again. Thankfully Ichigo was patient… for now.

Suddenly she finally seemed to calm down as she took a breath. She wiped away her tears before _finally_ answering Ichigo's question. "I'm going to get this out as quick as I can in case I end up laughing again."

She took a deep breath, feeling the giggles welling up in her chest again. "The reason I la-laughed so hard was because your voice sounded… sounded…"

"Sounded?" Ichigo asked, his annoyance ever growing.

"You'! AHAHAH!" Kurumu once again fell to uproarious laughter. But Ichigo managed to catch what she had said.

"I sound like an old cat laughing? What… the hell!" Ichigo was so frustrated that he actually lifted up his arms, though for what purpose he didn't know. He just felt he had to do it!

"That… was AMAZING!" Kurumu snickered, "I'll NEVER forget this moment in my entire life!"

"Ah… glad to hear it was that amusing." Ichigo spoke in a flat voice. It lacked all the mirth Kurumu's had. Then, Ichigo simply decided to turn around and head for the city and to leave behind the laughing Kurumu.

Though said person was still giggling, a little guilt made its way into her heart. Her eyes softened before she ran up to Ichigo and hugged him from behind. She felt Ichigo stiffen at the sudden affection, but he soon relaxed.

"Sorry about that, it's just that I've never heard you laugh like that before and it… well… I'm sorry." She said as she pressed her face into his back. His warmth radiated through his shirt and his scent brought her a sense of security and peace. She could very well stay like this for the entire day. But the feeling of closeness soon ended as Ichigo tensed up again.

"What's wrong Ichigo?" Kurumu asked.

"We have to go now." And before Kurumu could ask why, Ichigo had picked her up and was now carrying her underneath his arm in a not so dignified way. It looked like he was carrying a sack of potatoes rather than a person. But Kurumu couldn't protest because her voice was lost to the wind as Ichigo Shunpo'd away.

"_Yukari and the others in the trouble."_ Was Ichigo's only thought as he pushed himself in his current state. Without Zangetsu, he couldn't attain Bankai and go faster. So the Shinigami made due with what he had and sped across the sky.


	16. Ruby

**Alright, this is just a stop. The next chapter **_**will**_** contain the fight so it might take a little longer to publish. Rest assured its coming. I hope you like this re-edited version. Just a note, I revamped this so it might be a little different… okay a lot different. Hope you enjoy the changes **

****

"Well, here's the stop. Hope you have a safe trip!" Youko said as the group piled out of the car, "Hope to see you gain Yukari-chan!"

"Thank you very much for giving us a ride." Moka bowed as she thanked them. Soon the car pulled away as the group waved them good-bye.

"This is a human city…" Mizore said quietly as she took in the noisy street. There were so many people in one place. It was completely unlike her village where her race was sparse.

Tsukune however was nearly moved to tears. _"This feels so nostalgic; I can smell the air I was born in!"_

As everyone was taking in the marvelous sight, one person wasn't exactly feeling it. Yukari was nervous as she fidgeted about, looking at all the people walking by. There were so many humans… so many in one place. She felt overwhelmed. But then someone put their hand on her shoulder and she turned to see who it was.

Strangely enough, it had been Mizore who had done it. She hadn't said anything to Yukari, but the look she gave her made Yukari feel reassured. After all, she wasn't the only ayashi experiencing a human city. It shouldn't be too bad, right?

---

A crow landed on a building not too far from the group. Slowly Ruby transformed back to her normal self before saying, "Well well… after chasing her all over the place, I can't believe she would end up in a human's town. I guess there are witches that don't know what they are doing." She surmised.

"Witches can hear the sound of the wind and converse with fairies. We are the race that uses the power of nature to our advantage. That's why when she stays in the city where nature has been destroyed, it makes me sick." Her eyes narrowed as she looked down in disgust at the younger witch, "I wonder if she's worthy to be of our race."

---

Yukari's anxiety had come back when a crowd of people began surrounding the group. _"Ugh… there are so many people talking that it's making me confused. So this is a human's town."_

Suddenly, those random whispers didn't seem so random anymore when they became directed towards them.

"Hey dude." One guy said.

"Yea, I've noticed. Those girls are hot!"

"Yea!" quipped up another one. "The pink-haired girl has a face of perfection! They must be models with skin that smooth!"

Guy one nodded as he replied, "Yea and the one with the blue hair has enormous tits!"

"Whoa… they're huge!" The second guy said before he turned to Mizore, "This one is pretty cute also!"

Suddenly there was a stampede of guys who wanted to take a closer look at the girls. Tsukune tried to stop them, but he was soon overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. As the men practically drooled over the girls, Yukari had been accidentally pushed out the group and onto the sidewalk.

"Ugh… that's not very nice." She said as she rubbed her sore butt.

"Umm… are you okay." A voice spoke up, making Yukari look upward to see an extended hand.

But as soon as she got a look of the guys' faces, she recoiled in horror. Their faces portrayed nothing but insincerity and they were giving off a negative aura which made Yukari feel queasy.

"That's cosplay right?" One guy spoke up.

"Whoa, it's a young witch!" Another said.

"She's so cuuute!"

"MOOOVVVEEEE!"

Yukari backed away in abject horror as they began bombarding her with questions about her 'cosplay' outfit. She became overwhelmed as the faces of the humans turned into grinning demons who would not stop taunting her. "Don't come near me!" She begged as the faces ignored her plight and approached her.

"Please back away!" She yelled as she waved her wand, causing all the lights within the vicinity to short-circuit and shatter. That's when she realized what she had done. Thankfully, before she did something else from the stress, she was pulled away by Tsukue who had realized her plight.

"Let's get out of here!" He yelled to the girls, who soon followed him.

As for the figure on the rooftop, it brought a smile to her face to see the young witch so flustered in the area surrounded by humans. "See… I knew it. Witches cannot possibly live in the human's city." She proclaimed as she called forth a multitude of crows that obeyed her order. She sent them towards the unsuspecting newspaper group…

---

"I'm sick of this!" Yukari yelled out. She was partly tired from all the attention and her anxiety had gotten the better of her. "I'm scared of both humans and the humans' world!"

Tsukune saw the suffering girl before him and tried to offer words of sympathy, "Don't worry about it, I'm sure you'll get…"

"Stop lying!" Her yelling voice interrupted him, "You don't understand my feelings at all… it's impossible for Tsukune and everyone to understand!"

Hot tears stung her eyes as she yelled out all her frustrations at her friends. "There's too much difference between my world and the human's world, no one will ever understand!"

Despite knowing that she was simply venting off her frustrations, Tsukune couldn't help but feel a little crushed at her dismal attitude. He sighed before he saw Mizore step in front of him and stare down the young witch, who recoiled backwards a bit.

"He was only trying to help you," She replied coldly, "There was no need to be so hostile."

Yukari opened her lips to say something, but was cut off when a crow flew in front of her, scaring her in the process. Suddenly alert, Mizore got ready to fight as her arms transformed into ice claws. But soon she was using them to cover her face as ten's of birds swarmed around her face, obscuring her vision and threatening to peck her eyes out. The rest of the group fell to the same fate.

"Kyaa! What is this? Why are they all being so offensive?!!" Moka yelled out as she tried batting the crows away.

"W-What is this?" Tsukune yelled out as he blocked his face.

No one noticed that behind the cloak of crows a girl with a wand like Yukari's swooped down, covering said girl's mouth before spiriting her away. As the fog of crows lifted, Moka realized something.

"_Huh? Yukari-chan's…gone._" She thought as she looked around, seeing the young witch nowhere to be found.

"Hey guys! Yukari-chan's disappeared!" Moka alerted the group, who immediately looked around, trying to find Yukari.

"You're right! Yukari-chan's gone!" Tsukune said worriedly.

"We have to look for." Mizore said, Tsukune nodding in reply, the three commenced their search.

---

Yukari blinked as her vision slowly returned to her. She got up, feeling a bit dazed as she looked around. Suddenly alert, she realized that she was alone, or so she had thought. "Huh? What? Where… where am I?" She spoke in a distraught manner.

"Hey… you're awake." Yukari turned to the source of the voice. There, standing at rooftop's edge was a girl whose clothes looked liked she had been in a battlefield. Her skirt was all torn as were the rest of her clothes. Bits and pieces seemed to want to fall off every time she moved. She looked to be about Ichigo's age and had pitch-black hair that was held to the side by braids. Currently in her outstretched hand, a crow sat there perched.

"So how does it feel to be in the humans' city? You looked terrible back there young witch." Ruby spoke in a smooth, even tone. Then, she outstretched her arms, facing the city before she began speaking again.

"The city doesn't have anything." Ruby began with a trace of sadness in her voice, "No winds, no water, no flowers, and not even the smell of earth and the grass."

Her voice took on an edge as she continued; "Only ego and selfishness remain here. As a witch, the only way to describe the city was pity, correct?"

Yukari looked on in awe at the girl. But she was startled when a crow flapped its wings in front of her, screeching.

"Oh… don't worry about it. These crows are my friends. They've helped me bring you here from those humans."

A prominent question began to form inside Yukari's mind as she began to realize something. But she had to make sure. So she asked tentatively, "What… what are you?"

Ruby smiled as she answered, "My name is Ruby. I'm a resident of the Witch's Ranch. I really wanted to be your friend so I came over from the ranch."

Yukari's expression took on a happy look as she realized that she wasn't the only witch in this place.

---

Though they had searched every corner of the city, every alleyway (which resulted in a couple of thugs being beaten up by Mizore), they still had not located Yukari.

"Where could she be?" Tsukune's exasperated voice spoke. He shook his head in frustration before turning to look upwards.

There, he spotted a building where a multitude of crows flew around in circles. Tsukune simply stared at the black mass of birds as he thought about how he has had it with crows. Just then, a light bulb went off in his mind as he realized something.

"Hey, Mizore-chan?" He asked, earning the snow girl's attention.

"What is it Tsukune?" She replied.

He pointed towards the crows as Mizore looked to where he was pointing. "Do you think she could be up there?"

Mizore turned to her boyfriend and give him a flat look. "Of _course_ she'd be there. Why didn't you say so sooner?!!" She replied in an uncharacteristically sharp manner. Tsukune gave a nervous grin before his face once again became serious.

"Let's go get her!" Were his words before the two left to rescue Yukari.

---

"Humans are the enemy." Ruby spoke to the younger witch as she gazed at the street below her, "I have been living in the human society so I understand. Humans are powerless, pitiful creatures that can't do anything but destroy."

Slowly she turned to face Yukari as she continued, "You should understand after arriving here, witches and humans don't even need to communicate. We never need to."

She walked to Yukari and grabbed hold of her hands. She looked into her eyes with honest ones of her own. She spoke truthfully and honestly. "Those humans that fill us with hate are planning to destroy the sunflower patch along with our ranch. That is why Yukari-chan, in order for us to fight against the humans, we need your help."

Ruby handed Yukari a sunflower, as if to add meaning to her speech. The younger girl looked at the delicate flower carefully before she heard Ruby speak again.

"Will you help us?" The older witch pleaded, hoping that Yukari would agree. After a brief silence, she was rewarded with a nod from the younger witch. She became so ecstatic that she enveloped Yukari in a hug as she pressed her cheek against hers.

"Really!? Yaay! Now you are one of us, let's be friends!" Ruby rubbed her face like a cat would against Yukari's face. This startled Yukari because the girl was acting completely different from her earlier demeanor.

"Ruby-san! Ruby-san!" Yukari tried getting the girl's attention, but it was of no use. She was just too happy to hear her.

"Yukari? What's going on here?" A voice spoke out, halting the happy fest.

"Yea, that's right! What's going on?" Another, distinctly female voice spoke up also.

Both Ruby and Yukari turned to meet Ichigo's stern gaze and Kurumu's frown. Ruby ignored the girl for the moment because she sensed something different about this man. He held a strange power that almost made if feel as if she were staring at the never ending ocean. He was someone special she figured because of his power… that and she wondered how he had gotten to the rooftop without using the door _and_ without making a noise.

"I… I'm here with Ruby-san. She… said she'd take me to meet another witch." She spoke nervously beneath their gazes.

"That sounds alright, but where are Tsukune and the others?" Ichigo asked, not spotting said people around.

It wasn't Yukari who replied, but Ruby as she spoke up for the girl. "She doesn't need those pitiful humans. All she needs are her tribe mates, we, the witches. We will get rid of the human taint from the land!" She spoke vehemently as she matched Ichigo's stare.

"What?" Kurumu scoffed, not believing what the older witch was saying, "Humans or not, we are still her friends. I don't know what kinds of things you filled her head with, but as her friend, I cannot allow you to do that!"

"Milk jugs…" Yukari stared, wide-eyed at Kurumu. Did she… really think of her as a friend? Despite all the fights they constantly had?

Ichigo gave Kurumu a sidelong glance as he smirked. He couldn't have put those words in a better way even if he had tried. But his attention was immediately brought to the front when he felt a rise in reiatsu. As soon as he was facing forward, he had to sidestep an attack sent by the older witch. That's when he heard it…

_RIIIIIP!_

Ichigo momentarily looked down and saw something dreadful. His favorite shirt… had been ripped. There it was, a huge chunk of the fabric missing. There was absolutely no way he would be able to sew this back together! And even if he did… it wouldn't be the same. It was just like the time Yuzu had ripped apart his favorite shirt for a project she had to do. Only difference was that Yuzu hadn't been trying to kill him. Later that day, he had managed to sew it together… but… it just _wasn't_ the same!

Ichigo continued looking at his shirt with just a pinch of annoyance. He glared at older witch before yelling out in an annoyed tone, "What was that for! Damn it, this was my favorite one!"

Ruby made a disgruntled noise at having missed. It seemed he really wasn't a normal human. He must've been some sort of ayashi.

"Just what are you to have been able to dodge that?" Ruby questioned as she raised her wings, ready for another attack.

Ichigo sighed as he touched the torn part of his shirt, which exposed some flesh. There was no way sewing a patch would make it better he finally reasoned. And unbeknownst to him, Kurumu was getting an eyeful of his abs. Kurumu mentally did a dance in her head as a small blush spread across her cheeks.

"Hey you, quit ignoring me!" Ruby's anger filtered through her voice as she spoke to the distracted Vizard. She ignored Kurumu since her focus was on the annoying man in front of her. Her wings shook as she floated above him, intent on tearing him to pieces.

"You're paying for this shirt, you know that right? I mean that literally. It cost me 20 whole friggin dollars!" Ichigo just about growled with how annoyed he was.

Ruby simply couldn't believe it, she was being taunted! She wouldn't have it and with that, her 8 wings lunged at Ichigo, ready to cut him up into little pieces. Ichigo however saw the attack coming and used Shunpo to deftly dodge the daft attacks. As soon as the last one hit the ground he jumped into the air. Ruby could do nothing since she was pinned down by her own wings, which ironically enabled her to fly. They were stuck deep in the concrete so she couldn't move. Ichigo took this opportunity to punch her in the gut. Spit flew from Ruby's mouth as her eyes blurred into darkness. She was unconscious.

Ruby's wings disappeared into nothingness as her body fell. Luckily Ichigo caught her before she fell, and placed her sitting up against the edge of the roof. Ichigo sighed as he wondered what he had done to deserve all this trouble. Just then, the roof to the door opened and out of it came Tsukune, Mizore, and Moka .

Both Tsukune and Mizore blinked as they surveyed the mess. "Guess we didn't make it in time." Tsukune surmised as the other two nodded.

Ichigo shook his head before he turned to face Yukari, who squeaked at suddenly earning his attention. "What happened Yukari?" Ichigo asked, his tone softer than she had ever heard before.

"I…" Her voice cracked as tears threatened to spill. She collapsed to the ground as the stress finally overwhelmed her.

Ichigo shook his head. He couldn't help but be reminded of his sisters. He could never stand to see them cry so he couldn't stand to see Yukari cry either. So Ichigo did what his instincts told him to do and walked over to Yukari.

Yukari sniffled as she saw Ichigo walk towards her. He kneeled on one leg in front of her before he took off her hat. This earned some confusion from the girl, but it soon gave way to surprise, and then relaxation when Ichigo ran his fingers against her cheek, wiping away her tears.

"Hey," He began in a voice that was soft, deep, and gentle, "Whatever it is, we'll handle it together, alright?"

He gave her a small smile when she nodded. "Good." He said as he stood up before offering her a hand, "Then let's go find out motel."

Yukari stared at the man before her and couldn't help but feel her heart leap in her chest. With a smile, she gratefully took it.

"_Wow…"_ Were Kurumu and Moka's thoughts after having become entranced by Ichigo's fatherly actions. This reinforced their idea that Ichigo was their Mate/Destined one.

After the whole fiasco was over, everyone emptied the rooftop to search for their motel.

---

"It's dark already. We can't find our motel and we're really split up with Nekonome-sensei." Moka said aloud, "And we can't just leave this girl in the middle of nowhere."

Night fell upon the city as Moka and Yukari sat next to an unconscious Ruby on a bench somewhere in the city. They had tried for a while to find the motel, but it had been to no avail. The map their teacher had given to them hadn't been a regular map. It had been a map of different types of fish restaurants available within the city. So now there they were, in a hopeless situation. Ichigo paced back and forth while Mizore and Tsukune commented on Kurumu's earlier actions.

Suddenly, Yukari stood up and moved to the front where the whole group could see her. "I'm sorry Tsukune, Moka, and Mizore for worrying you. I'm sorry for being so mean back there." She replied, a hint of guilt in her voice. But then her voice lightened as she continued.

"Even if you guys do or do not understand me, I still like all of you very much! As long as I'm with everybody, I'm all set!" She proclaimed happily before taking hold of Ichigo's arm, "Especially with you Ichigo!"

Ichigo looked on in surprise, but smiled which seemed to dazzle Kurumu, Moka, and Yukari since it was a rare thing for Ichigo to give a full-blown smile.

Mizore leaned in towards Tsukune and said, "Ichigo is so blind isn't he?"

Tsukune nodded. "I agree." Then he paused, "Why?"

"Just look at him." She said as she pointed towards him with her lollipop, "He has them all wrapped around his pinky and yet he does nothing with them."

"As you've mentioned before Mizore-chan, he's dense." Tsukune quipped up, "But he really does care about everyone doesn't he? He may look tough and mean, but he's a softie on the inside. He doesn't think twice to help his friends out."

"I guess simple-mindedness is good from time to time." Mizore surmised, but Tsukune shook his head.

"He's not simple-minded. Sometimes there's a look on his face that's unreadable. It's like he's thinking about many different things and doesn't know what to do." Tsukune defended the orange-haired boy.

"True. He does seem to be thinking about something. What could it be?" Mizore wondered.

Tsukune shrugged before saying, "Maybe he's a soldier from some other plane of existence sent to spy on Youkai Gakuen for anomalies."

Mizore turned to her boyfriend and gave him a flat look. "You're imagination knows no bounds does it?"

Tsukune simply chuckled. "Aww… don't tell me you don't like it?"

"Oh, I don't mind it." Mizore said as she took her lollipop from her mouth and placed it in Tsukune's, "Sometimes it can be a good thing."

"Oh? Are you insinuating something?" Tsukune grinned as he plucked the lollipop from his mouth.

"I might." Mizore replied coolly, a faint smile on her lips.

Suddenly Tsukune leaned in closer to her and blew some air across her neck. "Something like this?"

Mizore gasped as the sensation left her breathless and red in the face. "N-Not here Tsukune!"

Tsukune gave a wild grin as he replied, "What? It's not like you're going to stop me."

"But I am!" A one Kurono Kurumu said as she bonked Tsukune on the head. "Seriously, can't you see we're lost and want to find our motel? And you guys are here playing naughty with each other! Jeez!"

Tsukune gave a nervous chuckle as he rubbed his head, "Sorry Kurumu-chan."

Kurumu simply sighed. "Sorry about that, I'm just stressed because _I_ want _Ichigo_ to do something like that to me."

Tsukune simply gave an apologetic smile as he shrugged his shoulders. Kurumu shook her head before walking away.

Just then, Nekonome came walking from a store just around the corner where they were sitting at. "Hey, everybody's here!" The sensei said cheerfully as she carried three boxes filled with fish.

"Why are you guys here?" She asked in her never-sad tone.

Immediately she was bombarded by all sorts of questions ranging from, "Where were you?" to "You idiot!"

"Oh! Wasn't this supposed to be a research trip?" Was her only reply, which caused everyone to fall on their face, save for Ichigo who was simply too tired to care about this crap anymore. He looked up at the shining stars and did the only thing he had learned to do effectively.

He sighed.

---

_A nine-year old Ruby walked hand-in-hand with her parents. She smiled at the bright lights of the city. She looked up when her mom called out her name._

"_Ruby, see… this is a human's city." Her mother explained as she made a sweeping motion with her hand to their surroundings._

"_Whoa…" Ruby gazed at the impressive buildings and structures that surrounded them._

"_The lights are twinkling like stars." Her father said before chuckling, "It seems like you love it already."_

_The screech of tires pierced the air as Ruby's parents turned around to see a car speeding towards them. Quickly turning to his daughter, Ruby's father had managed to push her out of the way before the street became paved with blood._

---

Ruby's heart raced as her eyes opened; sweat dripping down the side of her face. As the memory receded to the back of her mind, her vision began to focus. She could see two figures floating above her and as her eyesight sharpened, she managed to make out who they were.

It was that orange-haired boy and the one with the big-chest. The one with the big chest was looking at her intently, worry written across her face while the boy simply sat there, an unreadable expression on his face.

Adrenaline shot through her veins as she realized she wasn't in her home. She got up quickly, ready to fight if need be. "What! Wh… where am I… ugh!"

Pain filled her body as she gripped her stomach, where it hurt most. "Ruby-san! You shouldn't move yet, you're still injured!"

Ruby recognized that voice! Slowly, she turned to her right where the rest of the group was sitting. There, she saw the younger witch, giving her a worried look and two other people she hadn't met yet, but had seen when she was spying on Yukari. She didn't seem to be in any immediately trouble, but her guard was still up just in case.

"Ugh… where… where am I? What are you guys…" She spoke despite the pain.

Silence reigned for a while before the group looked at each other. It was Tsukune who decided to speak up first as he said, "I'm Aono Tsukune. As for what I am, I'm just a regular human. We arrived here today because of our extracurricular club research. This is the motel we're going to stay in for the night."

"And these are my friends, Moka the Vampire, Mizore the Snow Girl, Kurumu the Succubus, and Ichigo the other human."

Ruby's eyes widened at the last bit as she turned to Ichigo. She gave him a glare before she lunged at him, grabbing him by the collar. "You!" She seethed, "How are you a mere human and still having such power? And answer me this… how is it that ayashi and humans are here together as friends? That's impossible! Humans and ayashi cannot be friends!"

Ichigo returned her glare with one of his own, making the older witch shrink back slightly. But she still refused to let go of his collar and her eyes told Ichigo that she still wanted an answer.

So Ichigo sighed as he placed a hand at the back of his head. "Why are we friends? We're friends because we are." Then he shrugged, "It really is that simple. What would be the point in fighting?"

This did not appeal to Ruby as continued to speak out in anger, "But all humans are pitiful creatures that destroy an—"

"Does that mean all witches turn people into frogs?" Ichigo asked, confusing Ruby.

"You have a conception of all humans being evil and greedy. Humans have a conception of witches as beings that turn people into frogs and use evil magic."

"That's not true! We use the power of nature an—"

"Exactly, it's not true. Same for humans, not everyone is evil or greedy." Ichigo explained. A look of realization dawned upon Ruby's face, but she quickly turned around. It couldn't be true… that her conception of humans was wrong, could it? But this boy… his logic was sound. She didn't want to believe… she couldn't believe because if she did believe, then that meant her master was wrong.

But as her adrenaline wore off, pain filled her as she clutched her abdomen once again. She took a look at the group and noticed how they seemed worried about her. She didn't want to admit it… but those stares were starting to affect her. Regrettably, she would have to trust them for the moment. She needed rest and so, she went back to her futon and rested her head on the pillow. Soon she drifted to sleep. It was getting late and the others too decided to go to sleep. The room was too small though and they had to rent another room for Tsukune and Mizore.

Ichigo simply gave a mental sigh since no one had realized that he hadn't answered Ruby's other question about him being human and still having great power. He had dodged a bullet.

---

Morning arrived as Ichigo woke up. He blinked as he sat up, looking at everyone else. He noted that one of the futons seemed be vacant and wondered who would be up this early in the morning.

"Mmm… Ichigo…"

Ichigo turned to his right to find Kurumu sleeping there peacefully (which explained the empty futon). His ears turned completely red as he saw how her robe was wide open, giving him a clear view of her magnificent cleavage. Not only that, but the bottom of her robe was ridding up, giving him ample view of her shapely legs.

"Ichigo… please… mmm…" Kurumu purred as her body rolled closer to Ichigo. If it hadn't been for the way she was dressed, Ichigo would've found her rolling around comical. But alas, it was making the young Shinigami highly uncomfortable and flustered as he quickly stood up, deciding to do something to distract himself from the gorgeous girl next to him.

---

Like a snakes being charmed, people were pulled from their sleep. Their heads rose as they sniffed the air to a wondrous odor. Though, Moka wasn't affected by it too much being a vampire, but the rest of the group, including Ruby, were deeply drawn to the smell.

"Mmm… what is that?" Kurumu asked, fully aware of her surroundings. Then she quickly fixed her robe when she realized that she was partly naked. Luckily for her, nobody noticed though. Only Ichigo was allowed to see her naked body after all!

Ruby had to agree with her stomach, that was a fantastic smell. Suddenly, the strangest sight appeared before the entire group. Though it wasn't completely unfathomable, it still was hard for the others to believe it was happening. It was an impressive sight to behold after all. There in the doorway of the kitchen with some food on a portable table, was Ichigo, with an apron on that read 'kiss the chef.'

"What?" He asked as he noticed all the stares. He paused for a moment before opting to ignore them. He walked over to Ruby, who became surprised when Ichigo set the table of food in front of her.

"W-What are you doing?" Ruby asked in a disbelieving tone before her cheeks turned a slight red when her stomach growled.

Ichigo simply chuckled before replying, "Well, you need food in order to heal even if you are an ayashi. It isn't much, just some fish from Nekonome's stash and a side of eggs and rice."

Ruby gave the boy in front of her an inquisitive look. Despite having a rough nature, it seemed he was quite kind-hearted on the inside. But before she could make any more deductions about the boy, her stomach growled once again, demanding the food should be eaten!

"Eat up." He said before turning to the rest of the group, "Breakfast is almost ready, oh and Yukari?"

"What is it Ichigo?" She asked, wondering what Ichigo wanted.

Ichigo was a bit hesitant to ask this, but he needed to in order to help Yukari get over her fear of the city. "Can you go to the supermarket around the corner and get us some drinks?"

Yukari's eyes widened slightly as a tremor of fear made its way through her heart. But she immediately squashed it. She had to be brave in front of the boy she liked!

"Alright Ichigo." She agreed, surprising the room full of people. Ichigo simply had that I'm-happy-yet-scowling look on his face. And with that, she made sure to leave behind the things that identified her as a witch, which meant her wand, hat, and cloak. This way she wouldn't be assaulted by any weirdos like the other day.

---

"I'm back!" Yukari greeted as she slid the door open. Everyone from the newspaper group was present.

"Welcome back Yukari-chan! How was your trip?" Moka asked, her face looking positively radiant. Yukari wondered why that was until she looked behind Moka to find Ichigo laying on the floor, two puncture holes in his neck. She giggled when she found Kurumu trying to wake up Ichigo by shaking his shoulders rather roughly.

"It went fine! I went to this 'Supermarket' Ichigo stated and got everyone drinks! Check it out!" She said as she held one of the drinks she bought in her hand.

"Wow, that's amazing Yukari-chan!" Tsukune commented to the young witch, "You were so afraid of the city at first too."

"You did great." Mizore simply added.

"Yeah… great…" Came Ichigo's tired voice.

"You're alive Ichigo!" Kurumu yelled out in happiness as she pressed his face against her chest. But Ichigo was feeling far too drained to fight back, not that Kurumu minded. Good thing he was also too drained to feel flustered though… he would be needed air sometime soon.

No one noticed the trembling Ruby, who was having mixed feelings about the situation. Earlier she had said it was impossible for humans and ayashi to become friends and yet, here in this room she was being proved wrong. All this… happiness… she couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop… Stop joking around." Ruby whispered as her pain and confusion filtered through her voice. Ichigo managed to capture the soft sound of her voice and turned around, causing everyone to turn around along with him.

"You guys… are so naïve." She began before her voice grew louder to the point of yelling, "I…I'm not going to be fooled! Because I know how SELFISH AND DIRTY THE HUMAN RACES ARE!"

Tears streamed down her face as she threw the covers off of her and lunged at Ichigo. "I'll never trust humans! I'll peel off that monstrous human skin right now!"

"Ichigo watch out!" Kurumu warned as Ichigo sat there. To everyone's surprise, Ichigo simply lifted up his drink in front of Ruby's face, who paused mid-lunge.

"If we were naïve, we wouldn't be friends. We understand each other, no matter how much you think this is a trick. So what if I or anyone else is human or ayashi? We're still beings who feel and think. As long as we have that in common, we have the capability to understand each other. I understand that you're land is about to be taken away, and I won't let it happen if you're willing to let us help you."

As she took in his words, Ruby looked at the drink, which she noted had a smiling face on it. This irked her to no end as she slapped it out of Ichigo's hand, "Sh-Shut up!"

But she knew she had lost as she calmed and sat back down, her hands between her legs. "It doesn't matter if we can understand each other, it's too late. The humans have already angered my master. In order to punish the humans, my master is going to turn the city into a sea of flame."

"Master?"Was the resounding thought in everyone's mind before Ruby began in detail her master's plan.

---

Later that night, when everyone was asleep, there was one person who hadn't faded to the world of dreams. Ruby looked at the group curiously. A hint of a smile played across her face when she saw Kurumu wrapping her arms around Ichigo, who was completely unaware of her action. It would make sense since he was asleep. Then there was Moka, who slept next to her and Yukari, who slept at the foot of her and Moka's futon.

Her eyes wandered to the drink she had knocked out of Ichigo's hand. At first it brought her anger, but then she remembered Ichigo's words. Those words brought a light feeling to her heart that loosened her grip around the drink to a tender touch. Her eyes softened as she continued to look at the can before she was interrupted.

"Ruby-san? What's wrong, can't you sleep?" Yukari quipped up, surprising the older witch who fumbled with the drink due to her surprise.

"Oh, Yu…Yukari-chan." Ruby stated as she faced Yukari, who simply gave her an innocent look.

"Want to go outside?" Yukari offered, to which Ruby agreed.

---

The noise of a door sliding open breached into Ichigo's dreams as he slowly woke up. He turned his head just in time to catch Yukari and Ruby leaving. Curious, Ichigo tried getting up, but then realized he was pinned down by something. When he saw what was pinning him down, he blushed. Again, it was Kurumu and this time she had managed to snake her arms around him. Ichigo couldn't help but be annoyed, why did this have to happen to him? But he needed to wake her up for this urgent matter. And so, he shook her gently by the shoulders, hoping to wake her up from her slumber.

---

"Hey, Yukari-chan… where's my magu?" Ruby asked as she leaned against the railing of the hotel. They were outside near the stairs, beneath the light of the moon.

"Huh?"

"In order to use magic, witches need to control nature's power with an item right?" Ruby explained, "I can't go back to where I came from without that wand."

Yukari looked at the older witch before offering another course of action, "You… you should stay here a while longer. I know Ichigo is kind of mean-looking, but he probably wants to be friends with you."

Ruby grew quiet at the suggestion. A deep sadness filled her heart before she confided her secret to Yukari and unknowing to her, also Ichigo, Moka, and Kurumu who were around the corner. "You see…My parents died in a car accident in the human world when I was young. Humans were the ones who killed my parents.

Ruby felt her throat tighten as the agonizing memory made its way the surface. She covered her mouth to silence the choked sob that wanted to come out. Regardless, she still continued speaking, "We were shopping as a family and suddenly a car rushed towards us. My mom and dad pushed me out of the way. While I was alone, all I could do was hate humans! I hated _everything _about humans; their cities, the people… I hated them all!"

Finally she broke down as quiet tears streamed down her face. She leaned over the railing, suddenly feeling weak as a sudden influx of emotions drained her energy. Everyone who had listened suddenly felt bad for the older witch and couldn't help but sympathize for her.

"Ruby-san." Yukari worried for the older witch. Such horrible trauma… it now made sense why Ruby hated humans.

"You're lucky Yukari-chan." Ruby suddenly said, garnering confusion to those listening.

"Huh?" Was all Yukari could say.

Ruby wiped away a few tears before she turned to face the younger witch, a sad smile on her face. "You have friends like Ichigo-kun… that's why I feel a little jealous. I wish I could've met you guys a lot sooner.

Without warning, Ruby dashed down the stairs around the corner where the others had been listening. The all cried out Ruby's name, but she ignored their worried voices. Soon, she was out the hotel, running down the empty street. Her pace slowed down when she felt she was far away enough.

"_It's too late for me to change my life style now."_ She thought melancholically. She turned her head when she heard the wings of a bird descending towards her. A crow floated next to her, carrying her wand in its beak.

"I've found you Ruby," It stated, "I've brought Ruby's stick. Hurry up and go back or the master will be angry."

Ruby looked back the way she had come. Yes… it was far too late for her to change. This would be her last time seeing them.

---

"Ruby-san! Ruby-san!" Voices echoed out, calling for the older witch. Everyone from the newspaper group was now awake and searching for Ruby.

"Ruby-san! Where are you?"

"Yukari-chan, look up there!" Tsukune said as he pointed towards the sky. There they spotted Ruby flying away.

"_Goodbye." _Was her final thought before she soon became nothing more than a dot in the sky.


	17. Teacher

**(MINOR REVISIONS IN CASE ANYONE WONDERS WHY THIS WAS UPLOADED AGAIN)**

**Alright… so… here we…**

**Goooooooooooooooooooooooo!**

**XXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Ruby-san… I thought we could be friends. She just ran off like that." Yukari spoke sadly, the atmosphere in the room somber and quiet. Everyone was surprised that Ruby had left just like that, especially Yukari since she had finally found another witch like her.

Everything was quiet for a while before a voice spoke up, "So, we're just going to leave her like this then? I've experienced something like this already and the only way to clear this up is to go get her."

Everyone turned to Ichigo, thinking about what he had just said. They all looked at each other as they wondered what to do. Would Ruby even hear them out if they tried to go get her? Suddenly a chuckle interrupted their thoughts as the bus driver with glowing eyes stepped into the room.

"You better hurry up then. The master is finally taking action. I'm guessing it's going to bring an army to destroy the city, and that army includes Ruby." He stated, shocking those present in the room, "She is going to destroy the city and kill all humans just to protect the ranch."

"The relationship between humans and witches is deeper than you think. What are you young ones going to do?" He asked, his beaming eyes bearing down on them.

It was Tsukune who stood up as he offered his thoughts to the group, "Well, I agree with Ichigo and Mr. Bus Driver. We won't figure out anything by just staying here and besides, we know where they live right?"

"Tsukune is right," Mizore pitched in, "We can't just let a massacre happen because we don't know whether or not Ruby wants to come back with us."

Ichigo gave a tiny smile, happy that the group was banding together. He looked at the faces of the others and noticed they now held brighter, more determined looks. Finally, he placed the icing on the cake as he said, "Alright, let's go back to the Witch's Ranch once more and go get Ruby."

And with that, the group left to get ready. They all changed into more fitting clothes, since they were still in their robes, while Ichigo went to get Zangetsu from the bus as well.

---

"I-I have returned… my master…" Ruby spoke hesitantly as she glided down, landing on the sunflower patch behind her master.

"Ruby, it seems you have been defeated by mere humans." Her master grimaced as she sent a vine towards Ruby, snaking it around the drink Ruby had unconsciously brought with her. Then she yanked it out of her hand before holding it in front of herself, eyeing Ruby with a grim look.

"I've heard everything from the crows." She stated as Ruby grew nervous.

"M-Master, that is…" Ruby stopped when she could feel her master's anger.

"**And it seems you have been warmly taken care of by those humans!"** She seethed as she crushed the can into oblivion.

"What a shame, I thought I'd taught you well enough." She berated Ruby, a hateful look in her eyes as she stared at her, "Do you know how many witches have been killed because of humans? That includes your parents!"

Ruby's master dropped the can as she pulled out a book from under her cloak. "You already know how much I hate humans." She stated as she transformed her left arm into vines, which wrapped around Ruby's neck, choking her, "You're a disgrace to the Witch's race. It seems like you need to learn some lessons again."

"P-Please forgive me master!" Ruby choked, "I can't… breathe…"

Suddenly a trembling noise caught the attention of the master, who loosened her hold on Ruby. She turned around just in time to see a school bus _leap_ into the air before falling down and screeching to a stop a few meters behind them.

"What is this? A bus?" Were the master's confused words as she looked at the yellow box with wheels.

"Hehe… we're here. Quite fast eh young ones?" The bus driver announced as he stepped off the bus.

"Y-You're crazy! I thought I was going to die back there!" Tsukune retorted as he wobbled out.

"Even Grimmjow isn't as crazy as this bus driver…" Ichigo murmured beneath his breath as he too got out of the bus.He probably should've just shunpo'd to the Witch's Ranch.

Ruby simply looked on, surprise on her face when she realized it was the group that had saved her before. What were they doing here?

"So it was you bunch," The master spoke up to the group, "Seems like you've taken good care of my Ruby."

Suddenly, an explosion of energy shot out from her as she demanded with an authoritative voice, "What are you here in the Witch's Ranch for this time? Did you come here to become my foot soldiers?"

"_What a strong aura… this must be the master Ruby commented about."_ Moka thought as she felt the strong energy wash over her.

"_Hey, old man and bastard hollow. Did you feel that?"_ Ichigo spoke inside his mindscape.

"_**I did Ichigo. Whatever this 'magic' is, it seems to disrupt our reiatsu.**__**"**_ The old man replied as he contemplated their situation.

"_**Che, you're both being scared off by something like this? How pathetic a king and a roommate I have!" **_Ichigo's inner hollow grinned.

Ichigo ignored his inner hollow's quip for the moment. If this 'magic' did indeed disrupt reiatsu… then it would be dangerous going bankai since he might accidentally lose control.

"_**That's not entirely right Ichigo. You should have more control in Bankai since it's a compression of your power.**__**"**_The old man explained.

"_**I agree with oldie. You shouldn't go masked though… unless you want me to control the fight?"**_ His inner hollow said in a suggestive voice.

"_Hell no." _Was Ichigo's only reply. This only caused his inner hollow to grin even wider.

"_**Aww… you're no fun kingy! But remember, you HAVE to let me out every once in a while. That's the agreement!"**_

"_Whatever."_ Was Ichigo's finalreply as he cut off the mind-link and focused on what was going on outside. He hoped no one had noticed him space out.

Suddenly he felt Yukari grab his left arm, feeling her tremble slightly. After that, he heard the master witch speak up.

"I see… shame." The master said with pity in her voice before she unleashed even more of her power. It seemed Ichigo had missed something.

"**THEN YOU ALL HAVE TO DIE HERE!"** She yelled as she raised the book over her head, chanting a spell. Suddenly the earth beneath them trembled as monsters tore open the ground beneath the sunflower patches. They poured out from the earth in multitudes, their figures made of vines that were slim and dangerous. Their extended mouths held rows of sharp leaves as three glowing eyes on either side of their 'head' glowed. Their appearance was similar to a Venus fly trap with a muscular form.

"Th-They're coming from the sunflower patch!" Moka pointed out, earning a chuckle from the master witch.

"Sunflower patch? No my dear, look more closely. This is not a sunflower patch at all!" The master replied as she lifted up her arms, which seemed to cause even more monsters to come out from beneath the ground, "You see, plant manipulating magic is my specialty. These sunflower patches are monsters I've grown with all my care!"

"These are my man eating plants!" She said as she made a gesture with her hand. At once the monsters began closing in on the group. "Now's a good chance for me to analyze their combat skills… **EXTERMINATE THEM ALL!**"

As one of the monsters leaped up to attack the group, Ichigo for some reason couldn't help but be reminded of Byakuya**. **It also felt like she was doing this out of something akin to duty or pride. If so, then talking would not be a solution. He would have to beat her first. So he stepped in the way of the monster, its lithe form crashing down upon him with claws extended. As the claw plowed down, Ichigo managed to block it with his forearm.

Everyone was surprised, including Ichigo, but not for the same reason. Everyone was surprised that he had blocked it so easily. Ichigo was surprised because he had actually _felt_ the attack. No cut had been made, but he had still felt it nonetheless. He could feel the reiatsu in his arm move about, almost as if trying to get out of the way. Ichigo's scowl deepened before he pushed back the monster, which let out a hiss as it flew backwards. Slowly, he reached for his back, ready to bring out Zangetsu.

"Wait! Don't attack Ichigo!" Tsukune yelled out, stopping said person.

"Eh? Why?" Ichigo questioned, not understanding why he needed to.

"Maybe if we talk… we'll be able to reach some sort of common ground. We don't need to fight do we? Is fighting the only solution?" Tsukune begged to the Shinigami, who simply stared at him, wondering what to do. But he didn't have much time to ponder as he sensed an attack directed at the completely human boy. Ichigo outstretched his hand, managing to stop the vine that would've pierced Tsukune's heart.

The master frowned at her failed attack. "What are you boy? You're no human to be able to stop a fast attack like that."

Ichigo cut the vine with Zangetsu just as it had finished unwrapping itself. The sword suddenly caught the Witch's eye… she recognized it. It was a vague memory, but she remembered another being wielding that same kind of sword, though not exactly in that shape.

"You…" The master pointed a finger at Ichigo, earning confused stares from the group, "You are… I know what you are."

At those words, everyone's ears became sharp as they listened. Could it be that the master witch knew what Ichigo was? Ichigo wondered this too as he began to panic slightly at the situation.

"You… you're a… dimensional soldier!"

"Aha! Called it!" Tsukune suddenly said as he got up. The serious atmosphere seemed to have disappeared for the moment as Tsukune did a victory dance.

Of course, Ichigo had to go and trample on Tsukune's parade. "I have no idea what the hell a dimensional soldier is. I was raised here on earth in a place called Karakura town." Ichigo replied as his annoyance filtered through his voice. But secretly he was beyond relieved. At least she hadn't said Shinigami.

"Aww…" Tsukune groaned as he hung his head, Mizore patting his back in a comforting manner.

Then the serious atmosphere came back when Ichigo began raising his reiatsu, preparing himself to fight. "Tsukune, I know you don't want us to fight." He began, earning the attention of everyone in the area, "You're probably thinking this will only hurt Ruby even more. It might, and I apologize. But look at her master."

Tsukune did as Ichigo asked and stared at the Master Witch's eyes. Tsukune had to fight off a shiver as an indiscernible amount of hate and loathing shonethrough those eyes. Simply by looking at them Tsukune felt like he was drowning in cold contempt.

"Do you understand now Tsukune? Wordswill never be able to reach her." Ichigo's steadfast voice made it sound like he knew what was going on. Suddenly, Tsukune remembered the bus driver's words on how the relationship between humans and witches was deeper than he thought. Could it be… that Ichigo understood this and he didn't?

"Ruby." Ichigo called out, startling the girl at the sudden shift in attention, "I need to defeat your master, but I promise you that I won't let anything happen to the Witch's Ranch. I won't because I _do_ understand you Ruby, I know what it's like to want to protect something sacred and important to you."

Tears filled Ruby's eyes as she looked between her master and Ichigo, feeling torn. She remembered the beautiful master that she used to have, one who was in sync with nature. Master Yukata had been radiant and wonderful, teaching Ruby all sorts of wonderful things about witches and their connection to nature. Now she was only a shell of her former self, twisted and corroded. But she still loved her master. She was her mother after her real parents died. She hoped that maybe… that maybe she'd change her mind.

Yukata seethed as she saw those words affecting her student's mind. She turned angrily and faced the troublesome group as she lashed out in anger, **"You make me sick! Trash like you can never get along with witches! Foolish humans, die already!"**

By now the group had spread to avoid being grouped together and caught under an attack, but that plan backfired when she spotted Mizore and Tsukune separate from the group. Two of the man eaters were sent to Mizore and Tsukune, who got ready to defend themselves. But the two creatures didn't even make it halfway before they were impaled by black steel wings.

"Stop! Stop hurting those people!" Ruby cried out in despair as the tears ran freely down her face. She had had it. She didn't want fighting anymore, she just wanted there to be peace! And as her wings slashed down all the man eaters close to her, she hoped her master would realize her feelings and stop this fighting.

"**Ru-RUBY!"** Yukata spoke through clenched teeth as rage became her blood. How dare her student betray her like this?

"Master," Ruby spoke softly despite knowing how angry her master was, "Is it really out of control already? Is it true that a battle is the only way to settle this?"

Memories of her parents flooded back to her. They hadn't wanted humans and witches to fight. They had wanted the two races to _co-exist_. Ruby needed her master to hear her heart, her true desire. She turned to her master with sad eyes, making Yukata's anger temporarily recede.

"I-I want to try and believe Ichigo-kun and the others." She spoke from her heart what she was truly feeling. Her heart lightened when she felt her master's aura slowly recede. But her hope was in vain as one of her master's vines pierced her through her shoulder, narrowly missing her heart. Shock and sadness filled her as she fell to the floor, coughing up blood.

"Ruby! Ruby!" Everyone cried out as they rushed out to her. Ichigo gritted his teeth in anger as his reiatsu flared, hoping to scare the master witch. But it had no effect on her. Her own twisted mind prevented her from seeing anything else besides her goal for revenge.

"**Everyone… is a fool!" **She cackled as her arms outstretched, calling forth more monsters, **"Everyone… such foolish pests… I will DESTROY EVERYTHING MYSELF!"**

"**Ruby, how dare you betray me for those insolent humans! Now nothing is going to stop me from destroying you all… you're all going to die!"** Yukata hugged her book that had a red centerpiece on it close to her chest. It glowed ominously as it cast a light on all the sunflower patches. Whereas before only a few monsters had been called at a time, it seems like now the entire army had been summoned. Hundreds upon hundreds of man-eating monsters surfaced, all snapping their jaws viciously as their angry hisses filled the air.

"**Awaken my army of man-eating plants!" **She all but laughed as the plants snapped their jaws, almost as if they were anxious to fight, **"Devour those humans so not even their bones are left!"**

The group minus Ichigo was struck with a sudden terror at seeing the sea of plant monsters. There were so many that they couldn't even see where they ended. They spread out in every direction, covering every single inch of the land.

"**Now I'm going to bathe the city in a sea of flame with my plants."** Yukata cackled ominously as she caressed her book,** "But before that, I have to get rid of you pests. Now die!"**

"No!" A voice called out. It was Ruby, who was desperately trying to get back on her feet despite her wound.

"Master please," She begged despite all the things that had been said, "please don't be angry. Ever since I met Ichigo-kun and his friends I've sensed the possibility that humans and witches can _co-exist_ together. If you destroy them now along with the city, that possibility will be shattered forever. Please… you mustn't fight."

"**Ruby… what has happened to you?" **Yukata spoke sadly,** "You forget that I took care of you like my own child."**

Suddenly her voice grew menacing as her pupils dilated, showing nothing but hate. "**Why? WHY WOULD YOU HELP THE HUMANS?"**

Finally she lifted her book, sending hordes of monsters towards the group as she yelled, **"YOU'RE A DISGRACE!"**

Ichigo had enough of this. He had been hoping that since Yukata had raised Ruby that the master witch would have some sentimental feelings for Ruby and end up calling off the attack. But the only feelings she had were of violence and revenge. There was only one thing left to do and fortunately for Ichigo, he was good at it. It was time to fight!

But it seemed he wasn't the only one as Kurumu transformed. Her wings sprouted from her back as did her tail, while her nails grew in length. Razor sharp claws extended from Mizore's arms as she too got into a battle stance. Even Yukari was willing to fight as she pulled out a wand and tarot cards to aid her. Ichigo smirked, looks like he would have reinforcements.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo yelled out as he sent the attack horizontally, taking out the monsters within the arc's range and even a few past due to the force behind the attack. Kurumu jumped to Ichigo's side and sliced those monsters that happened to get too close to her Destined One.

"Heh, thanks Kurumu." Ichigo grinned as he sliced four monsters with one swing.

"Anything for you Ichigo!" Kurumu retorted happily as she ironically mowed down five more plant monsters.

"Me too!" Yukari quipped up as she joined the team. She launched her tarot cards, slicing those in half that were unlucky enough to get caught in the way of the attack.

Mizore had replicated herself using the water vapor in the area. The clones and her ran out and met the enemy head on. It was claw versus claw with Mizore in the lead. So far none of the clones had suffered any casualties and Tsukune and Moka were alright, though, Tsukune was regretting not being able to do anything.

But then he remembered something. He remembered the badge Ichigo had given to him. He pulled out the thing, and remembered Ichigo's instructions for how to use it. Just as he was about to go through with it, he remembered that his soul would jump out of his body. That would mean while his soul was fighting, his body would remain unprotected. And if it died, _he_ died too. Angrily he put the thing away… he would have to rely on Mizore once again for protection. There was one thing he could do however.

Slowly he helped Ruby up and pulled her as far away as he could from the action. Even if he could not fight, he would at least try to keep someone safe. He placed Ruby close to a tree so that she could rest her back on it. She smiled gratefully as she leaned back and watched the fight. She couldn't believe how strong they were… especially Ichigo. It seemed he was fighting the hardest. Some of his attacks could take down twenty or thirty monsters at a time. Truly, the boy was amazing… and he was doing it for her… for the sake of protecting her home. Despite the pain, a tint of pink painted her face as she looked on at the boy fighting.

Then she clutched her wound as pain shot through her body. It was a searing jolt that made Ruby want to vomit. Tsukune leaned down and placed a hand on her shoulder as Ruby bent forward. Beads of sweat dripped down her face as she slowly straightened up, the pain receding slightly.

"I'm glad you guys are helping me out." Ruby suddenly said, surprising Tsukune and Moka who were there with her, "I hope that… Ichigo is able to defeat my master and protect the ranch like he said he would."

Tsukune gave a small smile as he replied, "Don't worry, he will."

Ruby also smiled as she continued watching the others fight.

---

Many bodies lay dead, their corpses unmoving as Ichigo, Kurumu, and Yukari stood at the center of the chaos. Mizore and her clones had their own pile as well, though, the clones were slowly melting from the activity and the original didn't have enough energy to make more.

"So, given up already?" Kurumu spoke up as she stood there, proud and tall, "No matter how many of these you send at us, you can't defeat us!"

Suddenly she leaned in towards Ichigo, who blushed when he saw how her clothes stuck to her skin due to her sweat. It seemed today Kurumu was wearing a pink bra, Ichigo noted as his face turned completely red. "I-Ichigo" She spoke tiredly to the blushing boy, "I said that to her… but I'm actually extremely exhausted right now… I'm about to fall on my face."

Hearing this, Ichigo calmed down his mind, shaking away any weird thoughts. It looks like the rest of the battle would be up to him.

"Got it. You can leave the rest up to me. I'll protect you." He stated before he quickly added, "A-And the others as well!"

Kurumu gave a tired giggle as her knees buckled beneath her. Ichigo managed to catch her by the arm before she hit the ground, earning a touching smile from the Succubus that made Ichigo's heart pause a beat.

"_**Oi, now's not the time to be playing lovesick puppy kingy!"**_Ichigo's inner hollow reminded him as he suddenly felt a spike of reaitsu come from the witch.

"**It seems… you still don't understand anything at all…"** Yukata stated as she pulled the book closer to her and began chanting. Soon a bright light erupted from the book, blinding everyone.

When the light faded away, the group was surprised to find themselves not in the forest anymore. Instead, trash and garbage lay strewn everywhere, not a hint of green to be seen. Seeing the shocked looks on the group's faces, Yukata laughed at them.

"**Do you understand now? Do you know where this dump is?" **She said as she pointed to a sign behind them, **"This is the thing the humans are trying to build at my ranch." **

"**The humans are trying to build a trash site at the Witch's Ranch." **She stated clearly so that no one would mistake what she had said.

For a moment, her voice grew softer as memories began resurfacing in Yukata's mind. "Do you understand my pain and how it turned into anger and hatred? I've lived for 100 years, ever since this city was a town and humans didn't even step onto this ground."

"Now it may look like nothing, but I used to have friends in this ranch, ones that were driven out by the humans from their shelter… they had no other place to go. For us, this ranch was our last paradise.

Her voice turned sorrowful as she continued, "These humans that came after us destroyed the forest and killed creatures in front of us and now… they want to turn this place into a trash site! Do not **MOCK US!"**

Just as Ichigo was about to reply, he became surprised when Tsukune walked next to him and fell to his knees in a pleading gesture. Yukata noticed this and felt anger well up in her chest.

"**You're asking for forgiveness? You fool! Even if you beg for forgiveness now nothing is going to happen!**

"Please forgive us." Yukata momentarily paused, hearing the sincerity in the boy's words.

"I never realized that humans were hated this deeply. I've always been surrounded by my friends, so I couldn't understand anything. I… I didn't know what was going on at all. Please forgive us. If we can make up for it, I'll do anything for this ranch."

Ichigo and everyone else were astonished by Tsukune's words. And for a moment it seemed that Yukata was pondering his words. Everyone relaxed their guard a bit, thinking that they had finally gotten through. But this lapse in judgment only served to make a hostage out of Moka when a vine wrapped around her neck, yanking her towards the master witch.

"Moka!" Ichigo yelled as he tried dashing in, but stopped when Yukata raised a hand.

"**So… you're willing to do anything for the ranch?"** Yukata chuckled darkly as she tightened the vine around Moka's neck, **"Crimes must be punished then. If you want to save this city, then this girl must die!"**

She sneered when Ichigo and Tsukune prepared themselves for something despite their prone position, but she halted them with her words, **"Don't even try to stand up. Stay there and watch closely as I finish her off! If you can do that, I'll rethink about my plan to attack the city!** **I'll let you have a taste of what it's like to lose someone important." **

"You won't." Ichigo replied, earning the attention of Yukata, "I know people like you. Even if you killed Moka, you'd still burn the city. I'm going to stop you _now_."

"Bankai!" Suddenly a torrent of energy escaped Ichigo as he was bathed in a dark and menacing energy. The monsters in the area howled as the ones touched by the black energy shriveled away. Dust was kicked up, obscuring the vision of everyone in the area.

But Yukata had 100 years experience. She knew this would've been some ploy to rescue the girl. As soon as Ichigo had finished those words, she had pressed her book to her chest and chanted a spell. The spell finished just in time as Ichigo pulled Moka away and pointed Tensa Zangetsu at Yukata.

"It's over, give it up." Ichigo stated. His chain giving off that trade-mark rattle, but it had no effect on Yukata, who was too far gone into her hatred to hear or see anything else.

To Ichigo's surprise, Yukata simply chuckled. Ichigo felt multiple presences behind him before he turned around to slice the monsters that had been aiming for Moka, who was currently tossed over his shoulder. Moka couldn't help but be a little peeved, this was _not_ how you carry a girl.

But this little distraction proved to be vital as the remaining monsters all rushed to Yukata, merging with one another during the process before fusing with her as well. Ichigo couldn't do anything to stop it since he needed to protect Moka. It was too late when he slashed down the last monster.

"**I knew it. Even after begging for forgiveness, you will turn against us in desperate situations! You are no different than trash!" **Her body was raised high into the air as the bodies continued to collect below her, changing, fusing, and forming a completely new monster.

"Oh no! She must be using that magic!" Ruby exclaimed as everyone felt unease at Ruby's words. They knew it must be something strong.

"**I have lived for 100 years. Through years of experience, I'll show you my true magical strength. I'll make you regret you had made me serious!" **She spoke triumphantly as her body twisted and distorted before disappearing beneath the mass of bodies. Ichigo Shunpo'd back to the group when the monsters expanded and threatened to consume him and Moka as well.

"You mustn't master! Don't use that spell!" Ruby begged to no avail. An ensuing explosion of light and noise drowned out Ruby as everyone became blinded momentarily. What was happening now? 

"**Ruby, I can no longer go back now." **Yukata spoke sardonically. The monster she had merged with was now taller than any skyscraper in the city. Its lumbering form was that of the regular man-eating plants. The only difference is that it towered high into the air with many appendages supporting it. Multiple mouths protruded from random parts of the monster's body, but the two main ones were located at the front. One was situated at the top and the other in the chest. The one in the chest was open, with Yukata and her book attached to the inside.

Then an appendage-like hand grew out of the monster and lunged towards the group. "Watch out!" Kurumu yelled as the group ran, hoping to get out of the impact range. Everyone did, minus Ichigo who did not budge as the hand came down upon him.

"Ichigo!" Kurumu cried out, fearing that her love had been crushed.

"**Hehe, Impressive isn't it?" **Yukata cackled as she stared at the group, which looked like mere ants from her point of view, **"You cannot hope to defeat my century of experience!"**

A strange trickle of energy flowed into the appendage that had barely missed the group. Yukata gave a curious look as the appendage began bubbling. Suddenly a vortex of black energy erupted _through_ her monster's hand before blowing it completely off.

"I swear, it's like fighting Yami all over again. Fighting one-on-one is my forte, not this!" Ichigo muttered beneath his breath before he looked up, trying to spot Yukata. When he did, he launched himself into the air at a startling speed and stopped right in front of the Master Witch.

"**W-What are you?" **She demanded after having seen his power.

"I'm what's going to end this hatred of yours." Ichigo replied as he brought up his sword, calling upon his reiatsu and gathering it into his sword.

"Getsuga," Ichigo said as he began his swing, "Tenshou!" Finally the crescent form of the attack glided towards Yukata, impacting against her.

The whole of the monster lurched back as the attack hit Yukata directly. Ichigo purposely held back to half of his current power so as not to accidentally kill her. The smoke faded and with a grin stood Yukata, her body completely distorted and twisted and yet, unharmed.

"W-What?" Ichigo questioned, wondering how she seemed perfectly okay. Though he had purposely weakened his attack, he had managed to destroy a small portion of the monster behind Yukata. Some of his dark reiatsu still burned its way into the monster, that didn't even flinch.

Yukata cackled as her body regained form. "**That was an incredible energy! What was that? Oh… how tempting… I** **think I'm going to absorb and seize your power!" **

Ichigo smirked when he sensed multiple attacks coming from all directions. Now would be his chance to test out this new defense he had come up with after fighting Byakuya. "Tsukigata Tate!" He called out as he drew upon his reiatsu and gathered it, shaping it into shield of black reiatsu that protected his entire right side. But most of the vines were coming from the bottom so he angled it downwards and made it face backwards. Now he was able to fend off the remaining vines without having to worry about his back. If he could see himself, he would've vaguely resembled a turtle with a too large shell.

The attacks were close now; he could almost feel their magic messing with his reiatsu. He took a breath and let his muscles go lax. He counted: seven above, twelve in front and below, four at the right and left where his shield just barely protected and probably thirty from the bottom. He smirkedas the attack pressed upon him and his arm stretched out. It dove down, up, and horizontally, creating wide arcs as it slashed and cut down any vine thatveered too close. The vines that had touched his shield immediately shriveled away as their life force was drained. Some of his shield's reiatsu even crawled up the vines a short distance, destroying any vines within close proximity of the affected ones.

Pieces of vines fell, landing with loud thumps. The others stared in awe at Ichigo for having taken down the attack with such ease. Kurumu felt happy, but not as happy as she had been when she first experienced his power. She had been infatuated with him because of it at first, but now she was more worried about his safety and not so much entranced by his abilities. In essence, she cared more about his well being rather than his power. This was a large step from who she used to be before.

As for Moka, she could feel his energy _inside_ of her. She could feel the unearthly power flow through her veins! Could it have been the blood she had drank from Ichigo? It must've been because her body felt like it was brimming with his familiar power. If it hadn't been for her soft demeanor, she probably would've been cackling, feeling as if she could do _anything_.

Meanwhile high above where the main battle took place, Yukata hissed as Ichigo stood there in the air, smirking triumphantly. "I think I heard wrong, because I thought you said you would absorb me?"

This infuriated Yukata to no end as she ordered her behemoth of a monster to take a swing at him. The monster maneuvered to attack, but Ichigo easily Shunpo'd away and reappeared in front of Yukata after the attack had missed.

"**What are you?!"** Yukata seethed angrily at the boy.

"Like I said earlier, I'm the one who is going to put an end to your hatred." Ichigo said as he brought his sword to the front. Suddenly he saw a light being reflected and he looked down to see what it was. It was the book she had been carrying earlier. Ichigo almost wanted to smack himself. Her defeat had been so _obvious_. All he had needed to do was destroy her book! All witches needed a magical item to manipulate their magic, and this book was Yukata's source.

Ichigo smirked when he saw Yukata had caught on to his intentions. **"N-No!"** The older witch pleaded.

"Too late!" Ichigo said as he raised the sword over his head, preparing to slice the book cleanly in half! Just then, he heard an all too familiar noise, one that he had heard multiple times during his fight with the Arrancars.

It was the opening of a Garganta. Everyone turned to face the sudden tremor thatseemed to shake the very air. What looked like static seemed to rip the space in the air into a horizontal line. Slowly it opened as a white mask protruded out from it. Then another… and then another… and then another.

"**AUHhOoOoO!" **The Menos' agonized wail filled the air, as they ripped the Gargnta wider.

"W-What is this?" Moka ask as she trembled. She had never seen _anything_ like this before. These creatures… they stood even taller than Yukata's form, who also seemed to be taken back by these new monsters.

"Menos…" Ichigo whispered beneath his breath. The Menos weren't what concerned him though. He knew something else was coming out of that hole for that many Menos to appear, though.

Could it be…?

**XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AHHAHAHAH! Cliffhanger!**

**Tsukigata Tate: Crescent Shield. Invented by Ichigo who was sick of having to defend from Byakuya's annoying 'Chire' attack.**


	18. Negate

***Revised Chapter***

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The eternal cry of the Menos continued on as tens of them fell from the Garganta. The ground shook from their accumulated mass before they began shaping into their individual forms. Ichigo estimated there to be around twenty of them. One of the Menos took note of Ichigo and gave a shrill cry that pierced the air.

That same Menos began collecting reiatsu in its mouth, forming it into a red mass of energy. After a second, the Menos released the attack before it hurled at Ichigo. This didn't bother Ichigo at all, but it did bother the others who saw the attack flying towards him. That wasn't the point though, the point was… Ichigo was annoyed. Why was he annoyed? Because the rest of the Menos began forming their own Ceros as well.

The first Cero he simply slashed in half with a flick of his wrist, dissipating the attack. The next onslaught of Ceros would be a bit tricky. He was sure he could take on the attacks directly, no doubt about it. But if they impacted against him, the resulting explosions could hurt his friends below.

The other Menos were finally ready to launch their attack and Ichigo figured he'd simply launch a massive Getsuga Tenshou to cancel out the attack.

Thankfully he didn't need to as a figure dropped down from the Garganta, this one being many times smaller than the Menos, but by no means weaker. The figure floated in the center mass of the Menos gathering and brought out his sword, slashing all the creatures in half.

"Tch. How annoying, can't believe they freakin pushed me out of the way." The figure grumbled in annoyance as his stare shifted to Ichigo.

"G-Grimmjow!" Ichigo stated, earning a grin from the figure.

"Damn straight Ichigo!" Grimmjow grinned as he pointed his sword at Ichigo, "I demand a rematch. I don't care if you beat Aizen or not, I'm going to kick your ass!"

"You're not supposed to be here!" Ichigo replied as the nervousness within him increased. The only reason Grimmjow, and Nell who didn't seem to be there, had been allowed to live were because they were the only ones left who could control the Hollows. Without them, the Menos, Adjuchas, and Gillians would've surely flooded Soul Society and Hueco Mundo would've descended into chaos. But since Grimmjow and Nell were there, they viewed them as their King and Queen, despite Nell sometimes being in her child form.

Ichigo looked down, hoping his friends couldn't hear the conversation. Thankfully by the looks on their faces, he figured they couldn't hear his conversation though…. They would probably have a lot of questions when he returned. Yukata didn't seem to be making any move to attack so he safely assumed she wasn't going to do anything.

"I don't give a damn!" Grimmjow replied as he disappeared from view.

Ichigo's eyes momentarily widened before he brought his sword up reflexively. "I'm here to have another fight with you!" Again Grimmjow disappeared before reappearing for another strike

Ichigo blocked the incoming sword with his free arm; otherwise his head would've been lopped off! "Why are you here Grimmjow?" Ichigo persisted with the questions.

"I'm here to battle against you, why do you think I'm trying to cut you?" Grimmjow casually replied with a vicious grin as he moved Ichigo's arm down with his sword before using his free arm to form a Cero. At point blank range, it would hurt even Ichigo and his reiatsu reinforced skin.

Ichigo noted that Grimmjow had gotten faster. Had he been training all this time just for a re-match? Whatever it was, Ichigo needed to think of something quick. With his arm pinned down and it being too late to bring his sword around, Ichigo did the only thing he could. He elbowed Grimmjow in the gut.

"Hn!" Grimmjow grunted as the Cero fired wildly into the air. But he recovered quickly as he gave Ichigo a head butt. A quick of use of Sonido and Shunpo from either of them gave them some distance from one another.

"That friggin hurt!" Ichigo yelled as he rubbed his head.

"Cry me a river you damn Shinigami!" Grimmjow retorted as he launched himself at Ichigo with incredible speed.

"No you don't! Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo released the black crescent attack towards his opponent, who dodged it with Sonido. Now Grimmjow was upon him, raining a flurry of attacks that sent shockwaves everywhere. Now the fight had begun.

---

"D-Do you feel that?" Moka asked, her breathing becoming shallow. The glow on her Rosario began to shine vibrantly, not that anyone noticed due to their entrancement with the fight over their heads.

"It's like that time with the man with the eye patch. Just what are they?" Kurumu asked with a hint of worry in her voice. If there were other people as strong as Ichigo, could that mean there were even _stronger_ beings than him? This greatly troubled her because from her perspective, they all seemed to be going after Ichigo.

Tsukune leaned in to Mizore before he whispered, "Being from a different plane."

Mizore gave him a flat look as her reply.

"Just sayin." Tsukune said as he continued watching.

Yukata herself was stunned. This power… it was unimaginable! She couldn't even begin to fathom where the energy was coming from. Her monster was simply taking damage from the _force_ of the blows. She needed to retreat, otherwise her book might be damaged and she would die.

The newspaper group had noticed the giant monster's less than subtle retreat before they stared at each other. Their stares seemed to ask what they should do. Thankfully, one voice spoke up, but not one they had been expecting.

"It would best to eliminate her before she escapes." The group turned, startled to see the crimson eyed Moka staring back at them.

"Other Moka…" Mizore stated softly, felling queasy beneath the Vampire's stare.

Said Moka ignored the snow girl before looking up into the air. "After I'm done with Yukata, I'm going to have a word with Ichigo. No mere pathetic human could ever hope to attain such power." She said before she proceeded to stop Yukata, but not before her arm was caught.

She turned a menacing glare to the person who had stopped her. It had been Ruby, who despite her injury was up.

"M-Moka-san… please… I need to talk to my master one last time." She pleaded with the Vampire.

"You speak nonsense. She will not hear words, she demands blood." She replied coldly.

"Please Moka… Please…" The upset witch pleaded. For a moment, it seemed that the Vampire's eyes softened before they returned to their usual stare of cold indifference.

"Leave me be." Moka forcefully released herself from Ruby's grasp before she went after Yukata. Ruby could only look on at Moka's retreating form. Slowly she blurred out of her vision as she got farther away. For a moment, defeat gripped at her heart. But then she looked at her Scepterand got an idea. Before long, she was airborne.

Meanwhile, the others had heard Moka and Ruby's exchange of words. Despite knowing that Moka was right, they couldn't help but feel a little miffed at how Moka handled it, not that they could do anything about it.

"She's different isn't she?" Yukari spoke up. The others simply nodded.

"Yea, I don't like it." Kurumu replied as she saw Ruby fly into the air. The sight gave her an idea as well.

"In the mean time though, I need to make sure Ichigo is okay." She said before her own wings tore through her shirt and a tail protruded from behind her.

"I'll be right back!" With those words, she took off into the air, not knowing what awaited her.

---

Ichigo barely dodged the blade that slashed at his face. He rolled to the right and brought up his sword to block a vertical strike. Grimmjow was really being relentless; he almost had not time to think about the situation. He had to rely on pure instinct if he simply wanted to survive with his head on his neck.

"Ugh!" Ichigo grunted as a kick to his stomach sent him rocketing in the opposite direction of the attack. He forced his feet to latch onto the spirit particles to slow down his speed. But this attack had given him a few precious seconds to think. Fighting with this style, it would surely be a tie between him and Grimmjow. But if he applied his Inner Hollow's tactics, he could probably win at this current level. The only problem with that would be him accidentally killing Grimmjow from letting his Inner Hollow out.

But his time was up as Grimmjow appeared above him, ready to cut Ichigo in half. Quick thinking saved him as he used Shunpo to appear behind his opponent. He thrust his sword forward, hoping to damage the Arrancar without killing him. The plan backfired when the sword was grabbed.

"Who do you think you're facing Ichigo?" Grimmjow taunted with a grin as he saw his chance to cut his opponent.

But Ichigo did the same thing Grimmjow did, grabbing the sword before it cut his head. Ichigo smirked victoriously as Grimmjow made a sound of annoyance.

"I could ask you the same thing Grimmjow." He replied as they gave each other a fierce stare.

"Ichigo!" Another voice spoke up, alerting the two to the new presence.

"Kurumu!" Ichigo said as he saw the Succubus floating in the air, giving him a worried look.

"Who are you and why are you attacking Ichigo?" Kurumu demanded before realizing she was way in over her head when an enormous pressure fell upon her. It suffocated her as she began to lose focus.

"Stop that Grimmjow!" Ichigo yelled with panic before his own reiatsu flared and coalesced around his sword. Grimmjow grunted as he was pushed back, the sword piercing through his skin slightly. He had to Sonido backwards to avoid losing his hand.

"Tch. It seems that woman there is important to you." Grimmjow said before he pointed his sword at Ichigo, "I don't care if she's your girlfriend, lover, or fuck-buddy, I'm here for a damn fight and you're going to give me one."

Suddenly, he smirked, which gave Ichigo an unsettling feeling. "I think if I threaten this girl, you'll fight me seriously." He said before disappearing.

Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise. As soon as Grimmjow had finished those words, he disappeared not a millisecond later than Grimmjow, just in time to block a strike that had been aimed at Kurumu's heart.

"E-Eh?" Kurumu had never felt so overwhelmed or confused before. One moment Ichigo and that guy were exchanging words and swords, and then the next Ichigo was blocking an attack that could've killed her.

"Leave her alone." Ichigo hissed as tendrils of black began invading his sclera.

Grimmjow grinned. "That's more like it!" Grimmjow pushed Ichigo backwards before diving into an attack aimed at his torso. Ichigo brought his sword around and blocked the attack. Grimmjow used the momentum to bring his sword for another round, again aiming for his head. With great timing, Ichigo twisted his wrist and in a quick use of speedused the blunt end to block the blade.

Grimmjow momentarily broke away before redoubling his efforts. He slashed at Ichigo, who deftly dodged the perilous strikes. Then Grimmjow disappeared using Sonido, making Ichigo scan the area. But Grimmjow didn't appear anywhere else. In fact, he reappeared in the same spot he had disappeared. Pure reflex saved his life as he grabbed the dull end and quickly brought his sword up to block a downward slash. Thanks to this though, Ichigo was temporarily immobilized since both his hands were gripping the sword. Grimmjow saw this as an opportunity and quickly freed one of his hands and aimed a Cero at Ichigo's face.

"What the hell is up with you and my face!" Ichigo yelled out in annoyance as the ball of red expanded. It fired, but Ichigo had already disappeared with a quick Shunpo. As soon as the attack was over, Ichigo re-appeared in front of Grimmjow and sent his own slash at Grimmjow.

"You haven't been practicing Ichigo!" He taunted as he side-stepped to the right, effectively evading Ichigo's clumsy attack.

"W-What?" Came Ichigo's startled voice as he sailed past Grimmjow before his collar was yanked. It choked him as Grimmjow threw him forward, a Cero already halfway formed in his hand.

"You won't escape this one!" Grimmjow laughed as the attack successfully hit Ichigo. The attack expanded past Ichigo, kicking up winds that threatened to tear apart Kurumu who was having trouble staying in the air.

"_Just what exactly is Ichigo?" _Kurumu thought as the attack died down.

Grimmjow grinned. Ichigo had survived the attack save for some smoke coming off his body.

"How about another one?" Grimmjow suggested as he prepared another Cero.

The static noise of the Garganta opening was suddenly heard, but Grimmjow had been too preoccupied to notice it. Two figures quickly darted out, grabbing either of Grimmjow's arms, whose Cero fired into the air once again.

"Wh-What the hell is this?" Grimmjow questioned as he looked at his captors. Dondochakka and Pesche stared back at him as they waved with their free hand.

"Sorry Grimmy, but Nell-sama demands your presence… and she also says that if you don't, you'll be the one cleaning out the Hollow infestation in the back of Las Noches." Pesche replied, knowing that alone would be enough to convince the Arrancar to return.

"Screw that! I'm fighting Ichigo!" Grimmjow replied as he back flipped in the air, bringing the two other Arrancars to meet face to face in a painful collision. It seemed they were wrong.

"Hm. Now… where were we?" Grimmjow stated as he brought his sword forward once again.

"You were returning to Las Noches I believe." Another voice spoke out, making Grimmjow pause momentarily.

"Dammit…" He cursed beneath his breath, from the opening of another Garganta came out Nell in her regular form. She held a disbelieving expression on her face as she looked at him, making his anger rise. Why did she have to come out in that form? It pissed him off to no end! She always had that righteous look on her face when she was in that form. He rather preferred it when she was a brat even if she was annoying to no end.

"Our treaty with the Shinigami was that we would take care of Hueco Mundo in exchange for our lives and that we never enter this world again. Do you _want_ them to wage another war against us?" She stated seriously with her arms over her chest.

Grimmjow growled in annoyance, he hated to be proven wrong.

"Come, we better hurry." She said before she suddenly turned to Ichigo.

"Hi Ichigoooo!" She waved happily, making those present sweat drop.

"Hi Nell, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Ichigo half-smiled, earning a grin and a giggle from the green-haired Arrancar.

While they exchanged their greetings, Kurumu could not help but stare at the woman's chest. It was quite literally as big as or possibly bigger than hers. This wasn't what really upset her, what really upset her was what kind of relationship she had with Ichigo. They seemed to be very friendly. A sad feeling crept upon her before she knew it, and she shook her head to fight it off. Ichigo wasn't one to hide another girl… would he? NO! Of course not, this was Ichigo for goodness sake! Still… she didn't like it.

"Well, I have to get going Ichigo. It was nice seeing you!" She said before turning to Grimmjow, "Let's go Grimmy!"

"I told you not to call me that!" He yelled back, not liking the nickname whatsoever.

"I'm your wife, whether you like it or not." She replied, earning differing looks to the people around.

This news was a big shock to Ichigo, who stared with an open mouth. As for Kurumu, it felt like a sudden weight had been lifted off her shoulders. All the tension and anxiety seemed to melt away from her body. Grimmjow simply gritted his teeth in anger.

"We're not fucking married!" He yelled once again, before being flicked on the forehead by Nell.

"That's not what the other Hollows say. We are their King and Queen after all." She winked at him, earning a barely visible blush from the blue-haired psycho.

"Fuck you." He replied indignantly, earning a grin from Nell.

"I'm sure you'd like to." She replied without missing a beat, surprising everyone there even further. Ichigo turned red, Kurumu turned red, and Grimmjow turned red. They had been surprised, shocked, and embarrassed respectively.

"So are we going or not Grimmy?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"_No freaking way, Grimmjow is whipped!"_ Ichigo thought as he fought back a snicker, knowing it would only enrage the short-tempered Arrancar.

"F-Fine." Grimmjow hung his head in defeat as he followed behind Nell into the Garganta.

But before he left, he turned around to face Ichigo. "This isn't over yet Shinigami, I'll be back and when I do, you better be ready!" Grimmjow stated, unknowing of the consequences his words had on the remaining people before he slipped into the Garganta.

"W-Wait for us!" Pesche called out as he and Dondochakka barely made it through.

Ichigo simply stood there frozen. Slowly, he turned around to meet one Kuruno Kurumu, who held a shocked expression on her face. Slowly, she raised her finger and pointed it at Ichigo, who felt like a lead brick had settled in his stomach.

"Y-You're a Shinigami?" She stuttered, unsure if she had heard correctly.

"Well… Yeah…" Was Ichigo's simple reply.

"So… do you… take away people's souls?" Kurumu asked as she slowly recovered.

Ichigo scratched hishead as he thought of how to reply to that. He didn't want to say something that would make her ask even more questions, and he definitely didn't want to lie to her now that she found out. But he also wanted to keep it simple and straight to the point. But before he could reply, he suddenly felt an explosion and turned to look to find a mass of white light expanding, engulfing a large part of the forests. Then it clicked.

"Wait, where are Ruby and the others?" Ichigo asked as he looked around only to not find them where he had left them.

"I-I don't know, I left them to talk to you because it seemed Yukata was as stunned as we were." She replied before she remembered something, "Wait! Yukata retreated and Ruby and Moka chased after her. Do you think the others chased after her?"

"Shit! We have to go now!" Ichigo Shunpo'd over to Kurumu before he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. He stared as the explosion suddenly seemed to shrivel and disappear before his eyes. Ignoring Kurumu's protests and how this was not the way to treat a lady, he disappeared with a quick Shunpo.

---

Yukata stared in shock at the scene before her. She had sent her vines to attack the wretched Vampire, but instead they were blocked by Ruby's body. With this momentary lapse, Ruby used her remaining strength to cut the vines that were imbedded into Moka's skin.

"You!" The Vampire Moka stated, shocked that she had been saved by the witch.

Ruby coughed up some blood as she stared at her scepter. "My scepter is… broken. I can't use magic… without a magical attribute."

She turned to Moka and gave the Vampire a smile before finishing, "Just like any other witch." She said at last, hoping that Moka got the idea. The last of her magic wore off and her wings disappeared as her life force began to slip from her body.

"Ruby…" Yukata whispered. Her attack had pierced through Ruby's body, creating fatal wounds.

Anger suddenly filtered through her voice as she screamed, **"Why do you go against my will! We had always walked together until this day, you were so obedient and you never once tried rebelling against me…"**

"Mistress Yukata… Please… stop this slaughter." She pleaded until the end as the light faded from her eyes, "It's all over… over…"

"Tsukune, Moka, I beg you… Please stop… Mistress" Her voice stopped as her body suddenly went limp, her scepter falling from her lifeless hands to the ground. Her body was unmoving as blood continued to flow freely from her wounds.

"Ruby…" Yukata's voice called out to her disciple. What… had she done? She looked on, hoping to see her revive again. Tears began flowing freely as her eyes widened, her mind unable to take the strain of losing her student... her _daughter_.

Suddenly she cackled as she brought Ruby to one of the monster's mouths and ate her. Shock and despair filled the remaining newspaper group as they lost a friend they had just made. They couldn't believe it… was Yukata so heartless as to eat even her own student for the sake of her revenge?

"**Enough." **Yukata spoke to herself with illogical words, **"There… now you can defy me all you want now that you belong to me."**

Slowly, her lips curled into a smile as she raised her head and cackled. **"Such vitality! I can feel your energy filling every cell of my body… Ruby…"** Her laughter resounded as the energy became part of her being even as her eyes continued tearing. Her mind could not cope with what had happened even though her heart was feeling the effects.

"How sad," A voice spoke up, earning Yukata's attention, "Ruby sacrificed her life to try and thwart your folly."

Slowly, Moka picked up Ruby's Scepter and pointed it at the grotesque witch. "I won't be caught anymore. In her memory…I will fulfill her last wish." She stated with sure conviction.

"**Silence!"** Yukata screamed as she sent all of her vines towards the Vampire, **"I will absorb you to make you stop saying such rubbish!"**

With a speed unlike she had seen before from the Vampire, Yukata saw how Moka evaded her attacks. She launched vine after vine, some cutting the Vampire, but none inflicting a mortal wound. She was too fast for the vines.

"You poor, mad, woman." Moka said condescendingly, "I won't be caught a second time!"

And with a burst of speed, she slammed the end of Ruby's Scepter into Yukata's book, breaking the centerpiece. "Ruby gave your only weak point out before dying." Moka stated as Yukata suddenly recalled Ruby's words just before her death.

"Ruby…" Yukata cried out freely as the guilt finally took hold of her heart when she realized what she had done. Magic power flowed from the book and encompassed the monster. It roared as the magic wore off, making the multitude of monsters rip apart. Light flowed out of different openings in the monster as it began expanding by the second.

"W-We have to get away!" Yukari said with a panic-stricken voice, "Her body is made of a multitude of monsters… if Yukata loses the magic power that enables her to keep them together, everything will end up in a massive explosion!"

Tsukune's heart thumped. No one here could fly; they would all end up getting caught in the explosion. Suddenly, everything seemed to slow down. Tsukune turned his head; everyone seemed to be moving slowly. He could tell they were saying something, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Their voices seemed… distorted. Then, he could feel something resonate within his soul, as if it were calling to him.

Somehow, he had the badge Ichigo had given him in his hand. He looked at it, and suddenly knew what he had to do. He pressed the badge against his chest before his physical body fell, leaving him in his soul form. No one in the group noticed as they stood stock still, fear and death consuming their minds. All they could do was focus on their imminent death.

Quickly, Tsukune pulled out the sword from his sleeve and held it in front of him. Time sped up and the explosion grew exponentially. It would be upon them in a mere few seconds.

"Uchikeshimasu!" Tsukune found himself calling out. His sword responded to the call a ripple in the air formed around the blade. The explosion finally reached them, but was being pushed back. No, it was being negated.

That's when everyone finally noticed Tsukune, who was no longer in his usual school uniform. That wasn't what got their interest, what had gotten their interest was the blade he held. Parts of it seemed to disappear from existence before reappearing again. They saw Tsukune hold out his sword hand to the explosion, stopping it in its tracks.

Tsukune grunted as the sheer force almost overwhelmed him. He could feel the bones in his hand straining and beginning to crack. Just as he felt like he was about to lose his hand, the explosion began to diminish and become smaller until it simply disappeared with a small flicker of light. What was left was a smoldering crater, but Yukata and Ruby were nowhere to found. Realization dawned upon Tsukune as he realized the horror in front of him.

"Ruby…" Tsukune fell to his knees as sorrow gripped at his heart.

They had lost Ruby.

---

"Ruby?" Yukata called out when she noticed her student gently bringing her down. Her student's eyes held a tender look that made Yukata's guilt greaten.

"You… you're taking my hand? Even after all I did to you?" Her voice softened as tears began to accumulate in her eyes, "Why? Why don't you resent me?"

Ruby's own tear filled eyes seemed to hold a smile in them as she replied to her master, "Let's go back Mistress Yukata. Let's go back home… so that we can live together peacefully and happily."

A memory of when Ruby was younger entered Yukata's mind. Her heart suddenly felt a million times lighter as she looked on at Ruby with a relieved look. "Forgive me… I thought you had forsaken me… that humans had raised you against me."

Ruby simply offered a kind smile as she gently placed Yukata in a field of sunflowers. Yukata continued to look on, offering words of apology, "I was blinded. Whatever I could've said or done… you had always been… the only one that mattered to me."

Suddenly the light around them intensified before everything disappeared into white emptiness as they let from their shared memory.

---

Ichigo finally arrived to where the group was. As he put down Kurumu, he noticed the morbid atmosphere that surrounded the group. Looking around, he noticed that Yukata and Ruby weren't there and that Moka seemed badly damaged.

"What happened?" Ichigo asked, feeling a bit himself morbid when he got a reply.

Tsukune turned to Ichigo, tears flowing from his eyes. "Ruby… I tried everything I could but… it was all for nothing… for _nothing._"

Ichigo stood still as a silence filled the air. Somehow, Ruby had been lost in the fight with Yukata. Ichigo gritted his teeth. While he had been off talking with Nell, he had let someone die. This was _his_ fault.

"This wasn't your fault Ichigo." Ichigo turned to Kurumu, who seemed to have read his mind. Her eyes held a gentleness that somehow made Ichigo feel even worse.

Ichigo remained unmoving and tight-lipped. He was seething on the inside at his failure, despite what Kurumu had said. He _could've_ done something, and that's what bothered him. But then his anger receded when Kurumu suddenly took his arm and placed her head gently against his shoulder. She gently rubbed his arm as Ichigo sighed before turning towards the mourning group. When his mind cleared a little, he noticed that Tsukune was in his soul form. But no one else seemed to care at the moment, too busy with the loss of someone close to them. Even silver-haired Moka seemed to have nothing to say though, for a moment, Ichigo wondered why she was out.

Suddenly a noise of a car approaching was heard in the distance. Everyone turned around to see a car and a bus pull up. Their teach Nekonome was the one that stepped out of the car as the bus parked next to it

"Oh dear…" Nekonome said as she sensed the atmosphere, "It didn't go without trouble it seems."

Everyone looked at the ground, their eyes portraying their guilt and sadness. "In the end, I couldn't do anything." Tsukune told his teacher, whose ears seemed to droop down.

"Are you daft or are you doing it on purpose?" A voice from the bus spoke out, "Quite the opposite, you did it real slick guys."

To everyone's astonishment, Gin stepped out of the bus with Ruby in his arms. Everyone stared with shocked expressions as they saw Ruby's unharmed body.

"Hee Hee… that really leaves you speechless doesn't it?" The bus driver said from the steps of the bus. He took a deep breath of his cigar before continuing, "The girl got out of the explosion unscathed and I found her lying unconscious."

"It seems Yukata used the last of her strength to protect this child." He told the group as his eyes glowed.

Except for Moka, Tsukune, and Ichigo, everyone ran towards Ruby. Ichigo had stopped Tsukune from going because he needed to have a word with him.

"What is it Ichigo?" Tsukune asked, a smile on his face though one could tell he had been crying.

"Did you use the badge?" Ichigo asked, earning a nod from the boy.

"Yea, it was amazing Ichigo!The sword completely negated the explosion! It almost broke my wrist, but I stopped the explosion!" He spoke excitedly, his heart free of sadness from knowing that Ruby had survived.

Ichigo's eyebrow rose. That seemed like a very powerful ability. "Alright, when we get back, we're going to see exactly what this power of yours is alright?"

"Sounds good Ichigo." Tsukune replied before he was off to see Ruby. But like before, he was again stopped by Ichigo.

"What?" Tsukune asked before he saw Ichigo pointing to Tsukune's physical body.

"Oh, right!" Tsukune said before he dove into his body; then he was off to Ruby. Unbeknownst to them, Moka had seen the entire thing.

"Ichigo, I'd like to have a word with you." Moka demanded as she walked up to Ichigo. Her body was slightly limping, but the wounds on her body were healing at an incredible rate. Already the wounds were closed up. Only the internal injuries remained.

Ichigo knew this wasn't going to end well. "What is it?" He asked as she stopped in front of him.

"What are you?" She asked once again, not falling for his whole 'being human' reply.

He hated lying, but he had a feeling he would need to in front of this Moka. Quickly he thought of something to say that wasn't the truth, yet wasn't a lie either. Finally a thought formed in his head and he replied.

"I'm a dimensional soldier from another plane of existence." He replied smoothly, wondering how it came out so smooth.

"Dimensional soldier?" Moka repeated as she looked at him questionably.

"Yes. I fight… monsters that have come from our dimension to this one. They eat humans usually, but they seemed to be gathering here now for some reason." He replied, again wondering how it was coming out so easily.

Thankfully, Moka seemed to buy into this for the moment. It was a miracle she didn't ask for the name of said dimensional soldiers. It was probably because she was tired, but Ichigo didn't care. He was grateful that she didn't continue to press on. But she did ask one more question.

"Is Tsukune one of these dimensional soldiers also?" She asked.

Ichigo shook his head. "No, I granted him temporary power." Was his reply.

Finally, it looked like Moka's interrogation was done as she slipped the Rosario back into its chain. The reiatsu receded from her before the pink-haired Moka fell into his arms. Slowly, she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"I'm so glad she's alive." Moka smiled brightly.

"Yea, that was really tiring wasn't it?" He asked, earning a nod from the Vampire.

"Now I'm hungry." Moka said, eyeing Ichigo with a strange look.

"Now that you mention it, I'm a little bit hungry too." Ichigo replied before he noticed Moka's face inch closer to his. This all seemed so highly familiar… and it suddenly came to him when Moka's mouth revealed two pointed fangs. Suddenly, he understood why he hadn't been questioned by the Inner Moka. She had been hungry and only this side of her knew how to get close to him without raising his guard.

"W-Wait sto-aahh!"

*Chuu!*


	19. Dating!

**Women are so emotional…. **

**XXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The newspaper group finally returned after the mess in the human world. Thankfully due to their actions being heard, many people had gone to investigate the Witch's Ranch and become active in the protest against turning it into a dump. The ranch had been saved. Though this made Ruby happy, she still felt emptiness inside her due to the loss of her master. As it was, she had agreed to come with the newspaper to Youkai Academy. Before long, she was called by the Headmaster of the School for an important meeting.

"So what do you say Ruby?" The Headmaster's gleaming eyes stared at the witch in front of him, a curious grin on his lips as he saw her reactions.

"I… agree." She replied hesitantly before adding in, "but under one condition."

The Headmaster's grin widened, knowing full well what she was going to ask. "What is it?"

She fidgeted slightly as a small blush spread across her cheeks. With a soft whisper, she said, "I-I would like to have time off to be with the newspaper group… and with Ichigo."

"Oh? Is that all? Very well then." The looming figure that was the Headmaster smiled at seeing Ruby's happy expression.

"Thank you! I'll work very hard!" She said with renewed enthusiasm.

The Headmaster simply nodded, the grin never disappearing. "Oh I have no doubt about it."

---

The alarm to Ichigo's alarm switched on, playing soothing electronica on the radio station… somehow despite being entirely separated from the human world.

Slowly, Ichigo's eyes opened before his mind kicked into gear. He stared at the ceiling, feeling particularly strange. Though everything was quiet and far from noisy, the radio being the only exception, he had this foreboding feeling. It was as if something was going to happen and it would catch Ichigo completely by surprise.

As he sat up, he looked around the room. Everything was in place and nothing was out of order. He scratched his head a bit before shrugging it off. After that last fight things had been relatively normal surprisingly. Until recently, Ichigo had been patrolling around the school area and never ventured too far out. It wasn't until a week ago when he discovered the school's barrier on an extended route. He had touched it and felt an immense power. It was strong and archaic, something from legends. That's when he realized why there haven't been any Hollow sightings here. The barrier shielded the school from _everything_. If he were to find any Hollows, he would need to do his searching outside the barrier.

But enough of that. After giving one big stretch, Ichigo threw his legs over the side of his bed and got up, ready to eat breakfast. As he ate his meal, that foreboding feeling came back with a vengeance.

---

It was indeed a peaceful day as Ichigo walked out of the dorm. The clouds seemed a lot less grayer than usual and since there were no students clamoring about, it was quiet. Ichigo's usual scowl softened as he took in his surroundings. Though the dorms were gloomy, the road to the school had some greenery and he wasted no time in appreciating the simple foliage. Be as it may, he was too distracted to notice the figure approaching him.

"Morning Ichigo!"

"Gyah don't bite me please!" Ichigo said as he reflexively shrunk away from Moka, who gave him a curious look.

"I'm… not… well not right now. I'm not hungry." She said as she smiled, "You're blood is so nutritious that I only need to feed every four days… or when I want a little snack."

Ichigo unconsciously rubbed his neck as he let out a relieved sigh. "Well, that's good to hear I guess."

Moka simply giggled. "You're funny Ichigo!"

Ichigo simply shook his head in disbelief before saying, "We should get going. Don't want to be late even though it's a Saturday."

Moka nodded and before long, they were walking slowly towards the building.

---

"You know, it's been a while since we've walked like this." Moka suddenly said aloud, earning a sideways glance from the boy.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"I mean, for some reason I felt like it's been kind of awkward between us." She replied in a hushed tone. Ichigo noted a somber expression on her face and couldn't help but be confused.

"Really? I don't think so." Ichigo replied, not getting why she was feeling that way, "After all, you still drank from me."

Moka blushed at that. Just thinking about drinking Ichigo's delicious blood and feeling its thickness go down her throat made her heart skip a beat. The tanginess and its crisp, yet potent flavor were all the more enticing. The sweetness that came along with it was just a bonus. And—

"Yo, Moka?" Ichigo said as he waved a hand in front of the spaced out Moka.

'U-Uh? What?" Moka flinched as she came back to reality.

"You spaced out on me." Ichigo replied, giving her a curious look.

This only served to deepen Moka's blush as her head shrank into her shoulders. "S-Sorry about that. I was just thinking about your blood."

Unconsciously Ichigo brought a hand to his neck.

"I see…" He replied, not knowing what to say after that. I mean really, if all a girl is thinking about is drinking your blood, how would you respond to that?

Moka simply let out a happy sigh before saying, "Yup! You're blood is so delicious! I'm very thankful that you are willing to let me feed when I'm hungry."

"_It's not like I really have a choice."_ Thought Ichigo with displeasure at the mere mention of being feasted upon.

Suddenly, he felt Moka's shoulder bump against his and as he turned to look at her, he came nearly face to face with a radiantly smiling Moka.

"You're so kind Ichigo." She spoke softly, earning the Shinigami's full attention, "You accepted me even after I had said I hated humans. And when I acted strangely, you were still there even though I thought you were distancing yourself from me. You even accepted me after my other side tried hurting Kurumu a few months back."

Ichigo blinked, feeling a bit confused and embarrassed by the sudden praise. He looked away when he realized that she looked rather cute with that expression on her face. Tentatively, he looked at her out of the corner of his eye and noticed she was _still_ looking at him with that smile. He scratched his cheek, wondering what to say as the tips of his ears reddened.

"W-What brought this on all of a sudden?" Ichigo's nervousness increased ten-fold when Moka rested her head on his shoulder.

"I don't know," She replied honestly, "It just seems now that we're walking like we used too, my heart feels at ease and lighter. I feel closer to you."

A blush crept on her cheeks as she said her next words, "I feel like I could be with you forever."

Ichigo gulped. This sudden change in her demeanor was too much for the Substitute Shinigami to take as his heart began beating faster.

'_**Heh, it seems like you have another woman after you kingy. Maybe you should start your own harem?'**_ Icigo's Inner Hollow taunted, upsetting the already annoyed boy.

'_Shut it! I don't want to hear crap from you!'_ Ichigo retorted sharply, making his Inner Hollow chuckle maliciously.

'_**You're so stupid; you can't even tell she has an ulterior motive! Why was I put inside such a dense being?'**_

Ichigo didn't bother replying, instead pondering on what his Hollow's words meant. An ulterior motive? Moka didn't seem like the person who would have such a thing. Ass he looked at her peaceful expression, he couldn't help but feel that his Hollow might be wrong. Sudden realization made him grit his teeth. Why? Because his Hollow was never wrong. The times Ichigo thought he was wrong were because his Hollow saw things differently than he did. But then would that mean his Hollow hadn't been wrong and that it had just been a matter of perspective? If so… then… did that mean his Hollow was right this time? Ichigo mentally cursed, this was way too much thinking to be done this early in the morning.

"Are you alright Ichigo?" Moka suddenly asked from next to Ichigo, who realized that her head was no longer on her shoulder.

"Huh? Yea, why?" He replied as he regained his bearings, noticing that the school building was approaching.

"You spaced out for a minute there. You seemed to be in deep thought." She said before asking, "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing important." He said, waving her off. The thing he least wanted right now were questions.

"You seemed pretty distracted for it to be nothing important." She retorted. Ichigo sighed, it seemed he wouldn't get the privilege of having his peace restored.

Moka looked at him through worried eyes. Why couldn't he trust her with his thoughts? She had no doubt he'd tell Kurumu. At the mere mention of the girl's name, Moka felt a weight in her stomach and a strange pain in her heart. She felt constricted and the more she thought about how close Ichigo was to Kurumu, the more the pain increased. Because of this pain, however, she became resolute in knowing what she wanted, and that was to win Ichigo's heart. Although if she were to be completely honest, part of the reason she was getting close to Ichigo was because her father demanded her to be Ichigo's mate. She feared what he would do when her father arrived at the upcoming festival only to not find her with Ichigo.

"I know I haven't exactly been normal recently." She suddenly spoke up, "but I'm willing to do anything so you can talk to me about whatever it is that's bothering you."

Ichigo turned to her, notcing the shimmering look in her eyes. Despite the fact that she seemed to be completely honest with him, his Inner Hollow's words plagued him. What could this kind-looking girl be hiding? Rather, was she even capable of having an ulterior motive? He could imagine Kurumu having one, as much as he didn't want to admit, but Moka? Besides her other side, she'd been nothing but polite to him. But now was not the time to thinking as her eyes seemed to demand a reply.

"Thanks for the offer. But I'm really okay at the moment." He offered a small grin despite the incoming pressure in his head from all the thinking, "I'm just thinking too much and it's making my head hurt."

Moka looked at him, not really liking his reply. But it would have to do. So in order to lighten the mood between them, she offered a bright smile.

"Good! Now…" She linked Ichigo's arms with hers, earning a frustrated noise from the boy which she ignored, "let's head to the newspaper room! I'm sure they're waiting for us!"

And with that, Moka pulled along an unwilling Ichigo.

---

"We're here!" Moka stated clearly to the class, Ichigo's arms still linked with hers. This did not go unnoticed by a certain Witch and Succubus. Said Witch's eyes widened with happiness, the prospect of having a threesome seemingly that much closer. Said Succubus, however, felt a strange fire in her chest as an uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach.

"Are you two lovers now?" Yukari asked as she raced up to them, leaning forward on her tiptoes. Her face seemed to be lit up with raw joy as her eyes look starry eyed from the excitement.

Moka blushed as Ichigo gave the young Witch a flat look. "Now, we're _not_." Ichigo replied in a tone that wouldn't leave any and's, if's, or but's about the situation. Yukari suddenly became downcast, hanging her head as Kurumu let out a relieved sigh.

"Well, now that they're here, shouldn't we get started on our paper?" Tsukune spoke as he rearranged the desks with Mizore's help. They made it so that two rows of desks were facing each other, that way they could pass each other supplies easily.

Before long, they began working on their newspaper. First they talked about what the students should expect from the new semester, like new teachers and whatnot. Then they talked about how the school had been peaceful lately and not many students had gone missing recently. Little did they know that it had been Ichigo's doing since there were times where he had caught a kidnapping or two.

But then they finally hit the main story, which was the fight in the Witch's Ranch a month back. Ichigo felt a nervousness wash over him as he twirled the pencil in his hand. He hoped to anything and anyone who would listen that they wouldn't ask about what he was.

"Oh Ichigo," Moka said, earning the Shinigami's flighty attention, "You told my other side that you were a Dimensional Soldier. What does that mean?"

Ichigo mentally cursed.

"Aha! I knew it! Called it!" In an uncharacteristic manner, Tsukune stood up and did a victory dance that left Mizore and the others dumbfounded. Mizore was dumbfounded because Tsukune _had_ been right and the others because they weren't used to Tsukune being so hyper. Before long, Tsukune noticed what he was doing and sat back down, his face flushed with embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head.

Although Ichigo was wishing something else would happen to distract the others, nothing did. They all turned their attention to him once again. Each person held a different look. Moka was genuinely intrigued while Yukari seemed excited at the prospect of finding out what a Dimensional Soldier was. Tsukune had an apologetic smile on his face, as if saying 'Sorry, but I wanna know too!' and Mizore simply stared, probably not caring either way. He didn't feel like finding out what kind of look Kurumu had because…

He was afraid.

He was most afraid of Kurumu speaking up. She was the only one who truly knew what he was. Yet, regardless of what he wanted, he had already turned to face her. And as he turned to her, he saw her offering only a small, indiscrete smile. It took a while for Ichigo to pick up on it, but he realized that it meant she was going to keep his secret safe, though, he had no doubt that she'd be asking questions later. Even so, he was immensely relieved to find out not _everything_ would turn to crap.

"Well Ichigo?" Moka quipped, wanting to know Ichigo's deep dark secret as she looked at him with a curious look.

"Yea! C'mon! We want to know Ichigo! Pleeeeeeeaaase!" Yukari pleaded to the Shinigami, causing a tic mark to appear on his forehead. It seemed they weren't going to let him go this time.

"Fine!" He replied in an angry tone. But the others didn't even seem fazed by it. Ichigo always looked angry so when he yelled, they didn't take him too seriously.

Ichigo sighed as he prepared to tell his story. But first, he sat straight in his chair. He looked at each person staring back at him. All eyes were upon him as they waited for an answer. Ichigo cleared his throat before he realized that his tie was crooked. So he took a moment to fix it. Once that was done, he noticed that his blazer was kind of wrinkled so he tried smoothing it out. Now that he was at it, he might as well pick the lint off of it and…

"Never thought I'd ever see Ichigo stalling." Tsukune spoke up, a light mirth evident in his voice. Ichigo glared at the boy, making him recede in his chair slightly.

"Hey… you are stalling!" Yukari quipped up as everyone else sweatdropped. She just _now_ figured it out?

"I-I'm not stalling!" Ichigo retorted, making everyone in the room give him a flat look. It was no use.

"C'mon Ichigo," Moka said as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder despite Kurumu's heated glare, "We won't be afraid of you or anything, you can tell us!"

Ichigo sighed before looking at everyone in the group yet once again. There really would be no escaping this now. So he braced himself, thinking of how to say what he was without revealing what he _really _was… as confusing as it sounds.

"Well, basically," Ichigo began, his mind continuously thinking of what to say, "A Dimensional Soldier fights these things called negatives, which are the monsters you saw at the Witch's Ranch."

The others looked him, wide-eyed with fascination. Their murmurs of awe filled the air momentarily. Ichigo couldn't help but feel a little nervous beneath their gazes.

"And so… are they here in this school? The negatives?" Tsukune asked, wondering if he would be seeing more action some time soon.

"No… not that I've noticed. But they have been coming here." Ichigo replied, making the group exchange glances with one another. Ichigo relaxed himself. He was glad this conversation was heading away from him as the main topic and just the general activity of being a Shinigami, without telling them he was one.

"How come we haven't seen any?" Moka asked.

"Could it be because of the barrier?" Kurumu spoke up. Those interested in the conversation seemed to think about Kurumu's words. It was possible after all. The barrier around the school was meant to protect _everything_ and these negatives wouldn't be a special case.

Ichigo nodded, which made Kurumu smile since it made her feel smart and all. "Probably, I've felt them outside of the barrier. I haven't been able to get past it though."

"So… does that mean that it's sort of like your job to be here?" Tsukune suddenly asked, earning a few agreeing nods.

Ichigo blinked. "Er… I guess so."

"So when the job is done… will you be leaving?" Moka voiced a quiet concern that had festered quickly within her and Kurumu the moment Tsukune had asked the question.

To their relief, Ichigo shook his head. "No… I still have to go to school since my last one burned down. Since I'm here, I might as well stay here unless they manage to repair my school."

"That makes me happy Ichigo, I'd hate for you to leave." Kurumu said in a strange, hushed tone. Ichigo looked at the Succubus, who blushed beneath his stare. Her concern for him made him feel oddly pleasant inside as he unconsciously replied with a small grin. Moka noticed all of this going on, and was not pleased. So in an effort to interrupt their moment, she tapped Ichigo on the shoulder, earning his attention.

"Me too Ichigo! What would I eat if you left!" She tried giving a smile, but noticed that Ichigo seemed more annoyed now than happy she had said that. She realized a bit too late it had been the wrong thing to say.

"Well, I'm sure you'd find someone else to eat." Then he turned to Tsukune with a devious smirk, "I'm sure Tsukune would like to be your meal ticket."

"Eh? No!" Tsukune yelled as he grabbed his neck, "I'm sorry Moka-san, but from the way Ichigo reacts I'd _hate_ to be bitten by you!"

"Plus he's mine." Mizore added in hastily as she grabbed his arm. Moka sweatdropped, it's not like she would be stealing Tsukune away from her.

The atmosphere turned serious once again as Moka turned to face Ichigo. Despite the fact he was still friends with her, she seemed to be losing him in the romantic sense. The moment he had with Kurumu earlier showed that clearly. She pondered on what to do before a question formed in her mind. This would definitely determine who Ichigo valued most!

"So, if either Kurumu or I had to leave, and you had to choose who would stay, who would you pick?" She said, earning shocked looks from the group, especially Kurumu. This grabbed her attention the most. Despite hating making Ichigo feel uncomfortable, she too wanted to know who Ichigo would choose.

"Oh snap!" Tsukune commented on the situation as Ichigo became wedged between the stares of two beautiful girls. Why… did everything always go wrong for him?

---

The situation was tense and the drama was higher than it ever was before. Both competitors stared at their prize, hoping that this serious matter would be resolved soon. The spectators, namely Mizore, Tsukune, and Yukari were all eating popcorn which she had produced with her magic.

"Who do you think he'll choose?" Tsukune whispered to Mizore and Yukari.

"I hope it's Moka! That way I get a threesome!" She whispered back, earning disturbed looks from the other two.

"I think he's going to choose Kurumu." Mizore replied in a hushed whisper.

"Really? Why do you think so?" Tsukune asked.

"She knows him better." Was her simple reply. Tsukune had to admit, even though Ichigo met Moka first, he didn't think Ichigo would go after Moka. After all, as much as you like a person, it gets really tiring having to feed the person with your own blood. Not to mention it's painful and annoying. Or that's what he assumed since he'd never been bitten herself, which he was thankful for.

"Shhh!" Yukari shushed the other as it seemed Ichigo was about to speak up.

"Well uh…" Ichigo sunk into his chair as both girls' faces got closer to his. Whatever he said now would have a big impact on them. His nervousness increased before it slowed trickled into anger. Suddenly he sat rigid as he placed his hands on his desk rather forcefully, startling those present.

"Well why are you asking me a question like that? Aren't we supposed to be working on the newspaper?" Ichigo retorted as his scowl deepened and his eyebrows creased with frustration.

"Who cares! I want to know!" Yukari quipped up happily, much to the ever growing annoyance of the orange-haired boy.

Mizore assessed the situation with a keen eye. She looked at the scrupulous faces of the girls and at the annoyed and frustrated Ichigo. His eyes seemed to be glaring at no one in particular, which meant he was plainly upset. With all this information in her head, she came to one conclusion.

Ichigo was screwed, and not in the good way either.

"Then I don't pick! How is it right to say you'd prefer one person over another?" Ichigo said, feeling that he had made a good statement.

This seemed to make everyone pause for a moment. Then Ichigo saw it, a faint ray of hope. Could it be that he had gotten past the hurdle and made it out in one piece? Could it be… that he had somehow managed to get out of this horrid situation? Could it be… that he was home free?

"I think what these girls want to know is which one you like." Mizore spoke. Ichigo hung his head in defeat, there went his hope.

When he raised his head, he could only feel constrained. In truth, since the fight a month ago, he hadn't really been thinking of his love life. Sure he has had some private encounters (and not those kind) with either Moka and Kurumu, but they hadn't been important at the time. He had been trying to figure out how to locate the Hollows that had been reported to be here by Soul Society a few months back. Then his fight with Grimmjow made him wonder if he had gone soft because even in Bankai, he had only been on par with Grimmjow. Even with Kenpachi he had to use his mask just to quiet him. He seriously needed more training, which made him grit his teeth since the only person who could help him train would be his Hollow. Then, he realized that was his ticket out of this mess.

"I haven't really been thinking about it." Ichigo replied, earning differing looks from the group, "I've been busy trying to figure out why the negatives are coming here."

That seemed to work, despite the disappointed looks on Moka and Kurumu's faces. Ichigo felt a bit guilty that he felt relieved, but he couldn't help it since it had managed to dissuade their questioning it seemed.

Suddenly he saw Moka's eyes brighten. The next few words she would speak would be of great shock to the man named Kurosaki Ichigo. It was one of those words that, no matter how well you heard it, you still can't believe you did. It was one of those words that can't seem to be absorbed by your mind. It was just too… unbelievable.

"H-How about," Moka began as a nervous blush spread across her cheeks, "you go on a date with both of us and make up your mind then?"

As Ichigo's whole mind, body, and soul froze with shock; he could hear his Inner Hollow howling with laughter. Zangetsu even gave a half-chuckle.


	20. Shocked

**This is my final chapter since I'll be busy from now on…**

**Just kidding! Enjoy!**

**XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Sa..wh..er… huh?!" Ichigo stuttered, his eyes wide with disbelief as his eyes dilated from shock. He didn't even realize he had stood up from the weight of Moka's words. Then to add to his growing disbelief, Kurumu agreed with Moka.

"Hey… that's not a bad idea actually." Kurumu said as she tapped her chin, contemplating the idea.

"D-Don't tell me your agreeing with her!" Ichigo snapped at her. He could hear his heart in his ears, thumping madly against his brain. Then he was a bit taken back when Kurumu snapped back at him.

"Ichigo," Kurumu began in an stern voice, "A few months back you told me that you'd date the girl that you got to know the best. Was that a lie?"

"_**She's right, Ichigo. Was that a lie? Eh?"**_His Inner Hollow spoke maliciously, knowing his words would only serve to further irritate the boy. Despite how much he hated Ichigo at times, he couldn't deny that he was the best source of entertainment around!

As Ichigo ignored his Hollow and refocused on the present situation, he caught Kurumu staring at him, her arms crossed over her chest. Her stare indicated she wanted an answer while her body posture told him she was quickly becoming impatient. Ichigo blinked. How the hell did he_ know_ that?

"Ooohh… the drama is good!" Yukari whispered to Mizore and Tsukune as she took a sip from her soda.

"Agreed." Both Tsukune and Mizore chimed in.

"No… it wasn't a lie." Ichigo capitulated, seeing no other way around.

"So then, you agree to go out on a date with us?" She asked as her features softened though her look was still stern.

This was it. Whatever he said now, there would be no turning back. This was the moment of the hour and he couldn't run away from it.

"Y…" Ichigo took a step back when everyone suddenly leaned forward, eyes filled with expectance. Even the ever quiet Mizore seemed to be piqued by the excitement.

"Yes…" He whispered but it was audible enough and the girls whom his decision affected gave happy smiles.

"YES!" Both Moka and Kurumu chorused, before looking at each other with a glare.

"Grrrr…" They growled at each other, it being strange and funny to those watching the two. Well, minus Ichigo who was steadily sneaking away.

Suddenly Kurumu stood up and walked over the boy who was trying to escape and grabbed him by the arm. Ichigo let out a slight squeak when his arm became wedged between her fabulous breasts.

"I'm not going to lose Moka, he's my 'Destined One' after all!" She stated, clearly and concisely, her voice filled with affirmation in her belief.

"No way!" Moka argued as she went over and grabbed Ichigo's other arm and placed it between _her_ breasts, "I met him first!"

Then, Kurumu tugged Ichigo's arm, pulling him closer to her. "Met him first? You only met him a month before I did!" She countered.

Moka's hair became frayed when her argument had been so easily picked apart. "W-Well, it doesn't matter if you know him better! He's the one who's going to choose after our dates end!" Moka countered as she pulled on Ichigo's other arm.

No one noticed the faraway look in Ichigo's eyes for the moment. Moka and Kurumu were too busy arguing and Tsukune, Mizore, and Yukari were all too busy enjoying the argument. No one had noticed that Ichigo had drifted off into his mindscape.

'_Hey old man.'_ Ichigo stated as he opened the apartment door to Zangetsu's room.

'_**What brings you here Ichigo?**__**'**_ Zangetsu asked as he put down the newspaper on the coffee table. He folded his hands under his chin, sitting back when Ichigo took a seat opposite of him.

'_Nothing. The girls are arguing and playing tug of war with my body. So I came here since I didn't want to be a part of it.'_ Ichigo replied as he gave a heavy sigh.

Zangetsu merely nodded as he contemplated the boy's words. _'__**I wish I could offer you advice, but I'm a sword, not a psychiatrist.**__'_

Ichigo simply shook his head. _'It's alright old man; I'm just here to chill for a while.'_

Zangetsu regarded the boy for a bit before he took the newspaper and began reading it again. This piqued Ichigo's curiosity, since when was there a newspaper service in his mind? He had added trees and even a park, since Zangetsu had wanted some greenery, but he didn't recall adding a newspaper stand or anything similar.

Ichigo then simply shrugged it off. He didn't feel like thinking at the moment as he sunk into the surprisingly comfortable chair. He stayed there for a few minutes, resting his mind before the door was slammed opened. Ichigo whirled around while Zangetsu continued reading his newspaper. There in the doorway stood his Hollow, grinning that twisted grin of his.

'_**Whassa matter kingy? You better not be turning gay on me!' **_Ichigo's Inner Hollow taunted, receiving a frustrated grunt from the Shinigami.

'_Shut it, what are you doing here?'_ Ichigo asked, not liking that his question had simply made his Hollow grin even wider.

'_**Ye bastard, I'm here to tell ya that you're about to lose your first kiss.'**_The look on Ichigo's face had been priceless as said person darted out of the room and back into the real world.

---

"Hey, Mizore-chan?" Tsukune asked, earning a soft 'hm?' from his girlfriend.

"Does Ichigo seem a bit… dead to you?" He asked as Mizore took a closer look at Ichigo.

"Yea… he does." Mizore stated as she rolled her lollipop to the side, "Maybe his mind 'sploded."

"Mizore-chan!" Tsukune chastised, though his grin betrayed the amusement he got from her statement. Mizore simply let a light blush touch her cheeks.

Then Tsukune turned half-serious when he noted how empty Ichigo's expression was. "Seriously though, it's like he's gone comatose."

"What? He's dead!?" Yukari squeaked upon hearing Tsukune's statement.

"W-What?" Tsukue asked, startled, "N-No, I meant that he simply didn't look like he wa—"

"Ichigo's dead!" Yukari wailed, earning the attention of the two bickering girls.

"What?" Both girls asked in unison, finally stopping their argument before they tore Ichigo apart.

"Ichigo's dead!" Yukari repeated while still wailing, making Mizore's and Tsukune's sweat drop grow bigger.

"W-What!" Both girls sounded startled beyond belief as they looked at Ichigo, who in fact did look dead. His eyes were rolled to the back of his head and drool was dripping down his chin.

"Ichigo!" Both girls called out to him once they let go of him. This inadvertently caused him to fall flat on his face.

"Wake up!" Moka was the first to say as she bent down, trying to shake Ichigo awake. It was no use as Ichigo didn't even move a muscle. Not even a spasm.

"I've got this, move aside!" Kurumu said as she flipped over Ichigo. She looked at him for a moment before she squeezed the bridge of his nose.

"I'm going to perform CPR!" She stated even though she really didn't know how. She'd seen it in a movie once, but that was all her experience. She momentarily paused. She was about to kiss the man she loved. True, she was doing this to help Ichigo, but she couldn't help but feel glad that she would be the first one to kiss Ichigo.

As her face leaned in closer, she was only vaguely aware of the others. Her heartbeat was in her ears as her lips drew closer to his. Slowly, almost painfully they made their way. At last, it seemed like moment of truth was at hand when suddenly, she was pushed away.

"E-Eh?" Kurumu wondered in surprise when Ichigo suddenly stood up. He was the one that had pushed her away

"What do you think you're doing?" Ichigo asked, his voice sounding strained and annoyed.

"I-I was going to give you CPR! You died Ichigo!" Was Kurumu's worried response.

"Yea! You were dead Ichigo!" Moka agreed with the Succubus.

Suddenly, Ichigo didn't feel mad, angry, or annoyed anymore. He was just plain _tired_. His face seemed to fall as his look became expressionless except for a dull stare.

"I see." Ichigo replied in a tired voice. Moka and Kurumu noticed this and each give him a worried glance.

"Are you alright Ichigo?" They both asked before turning to glare at each other for daring to interrupt them.

"I'll be alright, I just need some sleep." Ichigo replied as he continued staring with a dull look.

"Well, we did get up kind of early." Kurumu admitted, though more for Ichigo's sake than anything else.

"If you want, you can go back to sleep. We'll handle the rest since you already finished you're part of the editing." Moka pitched in, earning an annoyed stare from the Succubus.

"That sounds good." Ichigo admitted, life flowing back into him at the prospect of more sleep.

Kurumu smiled when it seemed Ichigo was going to be okay. "Yahoo! Ichigo is alright!" She cheered as she helped the Shinigami up.

"Thanks Kurumu." His show of appreciation made her blush. It made her blush not only because he was thanking her, but because he had called out her name. Recently, Ichigo calling out her name made her blush for some reason.

"No problem!" She replied with a happy smile, "Besides, you'll need your strength."

Ichigo paused, his hand slowly moving away from the doorknob as he turned. "How come?" He asked, feeling a sudden dread somewhere between his heart and stomach.

"Well, Moka and I agreed when our dates will be." She began, unknowingly making Ichigo feel nervous.

"W-When?" He asked, dreading that her words would be 'tomorrow.'

"Well, to be fair, we decided to do it next Saturday and Sunday. Moka will be going first." She replied, making Ichigo feel immensely relieved.

"Alright, sounds good. Looking forward to…" He caught himself, but it was already too late. Quickly before anything else could happen he opened the door and left. It was a good thing he had left otherwise he would've gone deaf from the happy squeals of the two girls.

---

Ichigo spent the rest of the day sleeping on his couch. Why his couch? Because he didn't have the strength to make it to the bed. If one were to be in his room this current moment, they would find Ichigo halfway on the couch and halfway on the floor.

Rest in peace Ichigo, it's the only time you'll have it from here on out.

---

The wind blew short, cool breezes across the school. It was a nice wind, both pleasant and refreshing. Ichigo noted with dismay that if there had been any sunshine or a clear blue sky, the day would've been perfect. Sadly, it wasn't. It was the same gray and dismal forecast as always. It being Monday only made the day feel all the more bleak.

Ichigo sighed before going back to help carry newspapers to the stand. He lifted four boxes in one go, not wanting to have to go back.

"Show off." Tsukune said to Ichigo in a pleasant manner. He found the boy grinning at him; or rather something seemed to have happened to him that was making him grin. Ichigo wondered why he was being so observant lately.

"Something good happen?" Ichigo asked, only receiving a blush as a reply.

"Something _wonderful_ Ichigo, something _wonderful_…" The boy then went into this happy trance, humming and whistling, not being able to choose which. Despite carrying a box himself, he seemed to have a spring in his step.

Ichigo simply blinked before looking away, not really understanding what Tsukune had meant by that. Finally they arrived at the stand and placed the boxes on the table that was acting as their newspaper stand. Shortly after, they unpacked the boxes and piled the newspapers into five stacks.

"Are we all set?" Moka asked while each person from the group grabbed a few newspapers, ready to hand them out.

"Then let the new semester start!"

---

Soon, the gates to the school were open and students came flooding in. Murmurs filled the air as excited chatter was whispered among friends. Some students seemed to have forgotten about the rule of staying in human disguise, showing off scaly skin or extended necks. This was soon solved by a quick bonk on all their heads by their friends.

The students made their way to the newspaper stand as Moka greeted them, "This is the newspaper club! How would you like a copy of our newspaper?"

As the students began taking newspapers, Ichigo overhead the conversation between two of them.

"Wow, the newspaper club even went to the human world to interview during the summer." The girl seemed in awe as she read the newspaper.

"This is amazing!" The other girl agreed as she read over her friend's shoulder.

The other girl nodded as she replied, "The newspaper club sure is working hard!"

Those words caused a light grin to touch Ichigo's lips. Despite the dismal world, it seemed there were some perks. Ichigo wouldn't admit It, but he liked getting praise from his hard work every now and then.

"I-Ichigo-sama?" A voice called out, making Ichigo turn around. He found a girl with brown hair wrapped in pigtails holding out a marker, confusing him.

"Yeah?" He asked, making the girl blush slightly.

"Would you…" The nervousness in her voice was evident as she tried letting out the words she wanted to say.

Ichigo simply looked at her, wondering what she was going to say and why she referred to him with the –sama suffix.

"Would you please sign my forehead!" Was her startling wish.

"EH?!" Came Ichigo's startled and confused reply. What the hell? Sign her forehead? What was wrong with this girl?!

"Please Ichigo-sama, sign my forehead! You're rumored to be the strongest person in the school and I just wanted to get your autograph!"

"Oh no, I'm not sharing Ichigo with anyone!" Kurumu butted in as she stepped in the middle of Ichigo and the girl.

The girl gasped at seeing the famous beauty standing before her. The girl's attention suddenly became focused on Kurumu, who started feeling uneasy beneath her stare.

"Then…" She asked, "…would YOU sign my forehead? I want my breasts to grow as big as yours!"

Kurumu blinked before a smile played on her face. "Well, I guess that's alright," She said as she took the marker from the girl's hand, "Good luck! I hope your wish gets granted!"

After she formed the last curve of her name, she capped the marker and handed it back to the girl. The girl was practically radiating with happiness as she walked away. Kurumu waved the girl good-bye, much to the disbelief of the Shinigami.

"Umm… could I have a newspaper?" Someone spoke from behind Ichigo, who turned around.

"Yea, sure, here you go." Ichigo said as he handed the person a newspaper.

"Hey thanks." The guy said before adding, "Are you really the strongest guy in the entire school?"

"Sure…" Was Ichigo's short reply. The boy nodded before he released his transformation. Immediately he grew feathers before his arms melted into wide wings. His face took on the shape of a bird, and Ichigo couldn't help but feel the boy resembled a parakeet with gray feathers.

"I'm here to take that title away from you!" The boy squawked as he stretched out his wings to look intimidating. Ichigo simply gave the guy an annoyed look.

"Prepare yourself for your defeat!" The parrot boy, as Ichigo dubbed, yelled before he brought his beak down at Ichigo. Ichigo simply raised one finger and stopped the attack dead in its tracks.

"W-What?" The parrot boy seemed surprised. He was sure there had been a tremendous amount of force behind his attack. He could tear down boulders with ease, how was it that this orange-haired person managed to stop him with one finger?!

"Is that it?" Ichigo asked, looking bored.

The parrot boy took a step back when a pressure overwhelmed his being. It brought him down to his knees as the force flowed into his body, constricting his lungs. He tried speaking, but no words could come out.

"I would fight you," Ichigo began, "but I'm feeling too tired right now, maybe later."

The boy simply lay on the ground, helpless as Ichigo walked away to hand out more newspapers. Ichigo on the other hand simply sighed. He was hoping that the new semester wouldn't begin with a fight, but it did. He had no doubt there would be more coming. In the mean time, he decided to forget about the fight and continued handing out newspapers. It seemed no one had been fazed by the little skirmish and gladly accepted the newspaper from Ichigo. If he was glad of one thing, he was glad that fights here seemed more than normal. He didn't feel like standing out too much.

---

Ichigo flipped the box upside down. Nothing came out.

"Wow, it looks like we sold everything." Tsukune noted when his box was also empty.

Everyone cheered at a job well done. Moka looked at the scene before her and seemed to think about something before her eyes brightened.

"Hey, how about we go and celebrate?" She suggested to the group. Response was immediate as most of the group's eyes lit up at the prospect of having a party.

"That's a great idea! That's why I love you Moka!" Yukari quipped up, earning a smile and a sweat drop from the pink-haired vampire.

"What about Gin-sempai?" The ever considerate Tsukune asked.

"Nah." Were Yukari's and Kurumu's immediate reply. Tsukune simply gave a hesitant grin.

"He's just a ladies' man, besides; he's probably off flirting with some girl. We don't need him." Was Kurumu's harsh accusation of their sempai. Though, she really couldn't be blamed. It _was_ the truth after all.

"Yea, he's the enemy of all women!" Yukari added in.

Ichigo couldn't help but shake his head. It wasn't in frustration however. He was actually enjoying the scene in front of him. It seemed everyone was getting along with each other well. So in essence, he shook his head because he was happy, if that made any sense. He even smiled a little as a light mirth touched his heart.

As the group continued planning their party, no one realized they were being watched. The man in the shadows looked at them, menace in his eyes. His target was one Kurosaki Ichigo, a man who made his blood boil at the mere mention of him. Ichigo had beaten him up once at the beginning of the last semester, but the same thing will not happen again! Slowly he disappeared, heading back to report to his group.

****

**On a side note, this is my 20****th**** chapter! Huzzah!**


	21. Espionage

**Greetings! I just got back from skiing! Enjoy!**

**X X X X X X X X X X x x x x x x x**

The group, which consisted of Ichigo, Moka, Kurumu and to a lesser extent, Mizore and Tsukune, were sitting down all together in one of the outdoor courtyards. The usual happened like any other day. They chatted quietly, though it was mainly the girls since Ichigo had never been much of a talker. However, there was one key difference this time.

They were being spied upon.

Menacing eyes stared down at the group below. The figure known as Saizou growled as he looked at the joyful looks on the group below. Seeing them all together, peaceful, as if nothing wrong was in the world just made his blood boil. What truly angered him though was the boy with orange hair. He had used some sort of trick to take him down last time, but this time he wouldn't fall for the same trick twice. Oh no, this time, he would _pay_.

"Just look, they're all bunched together." Saizou glared heatedly at the people below, unaware of the espionage occurring, "The school's #1 beauty Akashiya Moka. Highly popular among everyone Kurono Kurumu. And highst GPA out of all grades Sendou Yukari."

Saizou tightened his fist as he felt the anger burn in his chest. "Ichigo's such a dipshit for acting as if this was his normal everyday life. He's pissing me off to no limit. Seeing him live this miraculous lifestyle everyday makes you want to kill him right?"

The group behind him all gave varying grins while the leader contemplated his subordinate's words. The leader was a man with a semi-serious expression on his face. He had a horizontal scar the stretched from just below his left eye to the back of his head, ending at the top of his left ear. Another similar scar started at the eyebrow line on his right eye and went up his forehead, only going a few inches past where his hair began.

"You gonna do it Saizou?" Midou asked, "According to the rumors, the boy is pretty strong. Likiishi from the wrestling team, Kuyou from the Public Safety Committee were all defeated by him."

Saizou's eyes took on a crazed look as he faced leader, not believing what his leader had just said. "Midou-san, don't get fooled! All he did was use tricks of some sort! If he hadn't used them, there was no way he could've defeated me!"

He continued reasoning with his leader, saying, "Those kinds of rumors are probably made up. I _know_ he's mad weak without using those tricks he used on me! If we all take him on, we can definitely beat him!"

Midou regarded his subordinate with a keen look. The way Saizou seemed, it looked like he was delirious in his revenge against this Ichigo, which would mean he wouldn't be playing as a team member. Midou himself doubted the rumors were false. Not only that, but Saizou had said that if they _all_ took Ichigo on, they could beat him. This meant Saizou was hiding something and he didn't like that one bit. Still, the only way to get rid of trash like him who only cared about personal goals was to let them do what they want and let themselves get killed.

"Hey Saizou," Midou warned in a lazy, yet sharp tone, "Just don't forget that you are a part of our team now. Try failing after taking your own actions and the guys above won't let it slide."

Midou stood up from his sitting position against the wall and spoke in a tone that progressively got more threatening, "Our team is made up of different kinds of 'Outcast Ayashi.' From a dog's perspective, it would be like a cross-breed. If a cross-breed gets beaten up by a full blood puppy, that would be the end right? That's why we have to win, it's why we **formed the team!"**

He took a step forward, a menacing aura emanating from him that made Saizou cringe with inherent fear. **"We definitely have to win!** That's why we formed this team… right?"

"But it seems like you don't understand that!" Suddenly he went wide-eyed as a hint of insanity played on his visage, his menacing tone making Saizou cower. Saizou took a step back, wanting to escape his wrathful leader lest he be attacked.

"Chill for a sec, I'll go along with Saizou." The leader turned his head to one of his other subordinates. There his subordinate simply smiled at him, his one eye staring back while the other was hidden behind his dirty blonde hair.

"Rumor says that Ichigo's strong, so if we beat him, our name should rise in rank of either the school or our team right? This is our chance."

"Moroha." Midou looked at the boy, contemplating his words. Despite Saizou's actions, Moroha made a point. If they did in fact beat Ichigo, who was really strong as rumors have said, they'd increase in fame and become known.

Moroha smiled, knowing that his logic could not be countered. "Besides, if Ichigo is really that strong, I want to fight him at least once."

"I also think we should do this, but we should wait until this weekend." Finally, the last member of the team spoke up. He dressed up in a way that made him look like a thug. He wore a black beanie that shadowed the upper part of his face, though one could still see his eyes. He always seemed to be moving, twitching; never standing still.

"I just passed him when he was around that Moka and Kurumu, and they were talking about how excited they were for their date with him this weekend."

This news made Saizou's blood boil. So now he was with two girls? Who did Ichigo think he was! Going around with two girls, especially the two most beautiful ones in the entire school! That bastard was going to pay dearly.

But he grinned in the end as a plan began formulating in his mind. "I think it's decided Midou-san," Saizou spoke with a certain glee in his voice, "Don't worry, I know a 100 percent way of beating Ichigo. After all, we can't just let him get Moka just like that."

Saizou licked his lips in anticipation, already tasting Ichigo's defeat at his hands, "Just leave the plans to me Midou-san."

---

Ichigo looked back over his shoulder. Something didn't seem right. It felt like he was being watched, but from what he could see, no one there at the moment looked suspicious. They all seemed to be quietly going about their business, eating and enjoying themselves with their friends.

But lunch was ending so he brushed it off. He got up and moved with the group, who put their leftovers on their tray before dumping the leftovers in the trash. The put the trays themselves though on a little table besides the trash can.

"Man! Today's lunch was strangely good!" Kurumu patted her belly happily, indicating her approval of the meal.

"Yea, I think they tried their hardest this time." Moka agreed with Succubus, as did everyone else save Ichigo and Tsukune. They both turned to look at each other and shrugged. It didn't taste any different. To them, it had actually tasted even plainer than usual. Must've been a monster thing they reasoned.

"Oh!" Tsukune suddenly said as a thought hit him before turning to Ichigo, "Are we going to train?"

Ichigo looked over his shoulder at the girls happily talking to one another… despite the occasional mini-lightning flashing between Kurumu and Moka's eyes.

"Sure," He shrugged, "when and where?"

Tsukune thought about it for a moment. "What about after classes?" Tsukune suggested.

Ichigo gave it some thought. It's not like any Hollows would be invading any time soon with the barrier still in place. For the moment, all seemed safe and so, with a nod of his head he agreed.

---

It's not like Ichigo hated science. Really, he didn't. It just never caught his attention. All those chemicals and laws of physics… if they only knew how many times he broke those rules. He never was a fan of science, and ever since he became a Substitute Shinigami he had lost all faith in it. His mere existence contradicted every law of nature known to man.

Luckily they weren't doing any labs today. Instead they were simply doing equipment checks today, to make sure nothing was broken and if it was, to be replaced. As Ichigo went about cleaning out his drawer listlessly, his mind wandered. As much as he didn't want to think about it, he thought about the upcoming dates he had. It wasn't a well known fact, but Kurosaki Ichigo would sometimes give thoughts to having a relationship. The only problem was that he was nervous as hell around them, especially the beautiful ones. Sure he was used to Yoroichi's pranks, but she only did that for amusement, not because she was hitting on him. All in all, he was still in the dark when it came to women. At least he knew he wasn't in the closet.

It grated his nerves for some reason. Not because he hated them, but simply the aura that surrounded them made him feel nervous. He still would stutter every time a beautiful woman spoke to him, granted he had gotten used to it being with Moka and Kurumu, but before that, he was a klutz. Referring to Ichigo, a person who had amazing athletic ability, as a klutz was unbelievable, yet true. Ichigo would trip over his own words when talking to a gorgeous woman.

As he continued to mindlessly clean his stuff and check for any signs of damage, his mind finally refocused on the date. He assumed he couldn't just go in jeans and a shirt. But then again, since when did he care about his looks? He highly doubted either of the girls would care. Still… something inside of him told him to dress nicely. Then he realized this would be a problem. He didn't' exactly come to Youkai Academy looking for a date. So all he had were his casual clothes. It seemed for the moment, he would _have_ to wear said jeans and shirt. He shrugged, that's one problem down he supposed.

Then he sighed, this was all so tiring. He suppressed a yawn that threatened to break the silence of the room. As he looked about, he noted that everyone seemed to share the same expression that he did, minus the scowl. He supposed that the quiet atmosphere had simply made everyone groggy. Look, even a kid fell asleep on the table, though, it seemed he would have a tough time getting that pipette to unstick from his face when he wakes up.

But finally it was done and over. Without further delay, he re-stocked his equipment and set off for his training session with Tsukune.

---

Tsukune and Ichigo stood there, face to face, sword to sword. They had found a clearing in the leafless forest which for a moment made Ichigo wonder as to how big the school grounds actually were. Seriously, there was a forest and a frigging _ocean_ inside the school grounds!

"Alright, I'm going to test to see how it's changed you. I'm going to move as slowly as I can alright?" Ichigo told the brown-haired boy, who simply nodded in response as he raised his sword in a defensive stance.

"Here I go!" Ichigo gave one last warning before he ran towards Tsukune. Tsukune went wide-eyed before he dove out of the way. It was a good thing he had because the impact had left a five foot deep crater.

"I thought you said you would go easy on me!" Yelled a panic-stricken Tsukune. Ichigo simply rubbed the back of his head and he pulled his sword from the earth.

"S-Sorry about that. I was holding back as much as I could." He replied, earning an incredulous look from the boy.

"_That_ was holding back? It looked like you were trying to erase me from existence!" Tsukune continued protesting, his heart still beating rapidly from the shock.

'_**Ichigo.**__**'**_ A deep, familiar voice resonated within his mind.

'_What's up old man.'_ Ichigo replied as he told Tsukune to get up, promising that he'll try to hold back even more.

'_**This is your chance for training yourself as well as the boy.**__**' **_He spoke with wisdom in his voice.

"Alright, now you come and attack me instead." He offered to the boy, who gave a sigh of relief.

'_What do you mean old man?'_ Ichigo replied to Zangestu.

'_**If you learn how to control your power without letting an excessive flow out from your attacks, you'll become much stronger simply from the increase in control.**__**'**_Zangetsu stated, making Ichigo momentarily pause. This… was good. He would always grow in reiatsu even if he never trained. But if he never learned to control it, it would be useless. It would be like trying to empty a lake using a bucket. If he learned to control it properly, the metaphorical bucket would become a factory that could drain a lake in minutes… minus the environmental hazard that is.

Before he realized he had gotten distracted, Tsukune was already in the air, taking a swing at him. Reflexively though, Ichigo managed to bring up a hand and grab the blade in the air… with some unforeseen results. Both Tsukune and Ichigo looked at the latter's hand and noticed it was bleeding. Quickly Tsukune pulled away, muttering an apology as Ichigo stared at his hand with something akin to awe.

Tsukune's sword had eliminated the excess reiatsu that he had been using to reinforce his skin, but not the reiatsu that was already imbued into his muscles. That was one thing Ichigo was thankful for, otherwise he probably would've lost his hand. This… for the lack of a better term, was interesting.

"A-Are you a-alright Ichigo?" Tsukune's voice quivered as he looked up with worry and fear evident in his eyes.

Thankfully though, after a few moments the reiatsu flowed back into Ichigo's hand. Within moments the wound healed, leaving no trace of a scar.

For a moment, the two boys could only stare at each other as their minds worked furiously to try and figure out what just happened. Ichigo was the first one to speak up as he asked, "Hey Tsukune, what exactly happened when you blocked the explosion?"

Tsukune seemed to be surprised by the sudden question, but he tried his best as he recalled the memory. "W-Well, I remember standing there, waiting for the explosion to hit us when I felt a strange feeling inside of me. Before I knew it I was yelling out the word 'Negate' and my sword started uh… glowing I think."

"You think?" Ichigo raised a curious eyebrow at Tsukune's statement.

"Well… how do I explain this." The boy replied, his nerves finally calm, "It seemed to disappear and reappear from existence. Well… parts of it anyways. The whole thing never disappeared at once."

'_**I think this child has the ability to negate all forms of energy. I'm not sure if this applies to physical strength as well.**__**'**_ Zangetsu stated within Ichigo's mind. Said boy simply scowled even deeper, slightly frightening Tsukune in the process.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!" Tsukune begged for forgiveness as he saw the hard, merciless looking Ichigo was giving him. Ichigo seemed to snap out of I, his expression relaxing as he noted the grieving Tsukune.

"N-No… I was just thinking." Ichigo justified "N-No… I was just thinking." Ichigo replied.

"Oh… you should really put a sign around your neck that shows which face means what." Tsukune offered.

Ichigo scowled.

"Sorry, bad joke!" Tsukune said sheepishly.

Ichigo simply sighed as he shook his head, "Whatever. Do you want to continue training or not?"

Tsukune replied with a nod of his head as he prepared a stance. Ichigo slipped into one of his own as he held his large blade in front of him.

"Just curious, what are you doing to hit me with?" Tsukune asked with a hint of fear as he saw Ichigo raise his sword over his head.

Ichigo smirked. "Getsuga Tenshou." He replied as he felt the reiatsu collect in his sword.

"Oh boy…" Tsukune gulped as he brought his sword in front of him, placing the blunt end in the palm of his hand. His arms stretched forward, almost as if he intended to catch the attack.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo called out the name of the attack before bringing his arms down, launching the crescent of energy at Tsukune. It tore up the ground and dug a trench as debris flew everywhere.

"Negate!" Tsukune yelled out as the attack collided with his sword. Again like before, his sword winked in and out of existence like a fading, multi-colored light. Unlike before though, he hardly even felt Ichigo's attack before it just disappeared like it had never been there.

"Hmm." Ichigo paused, marveling slightly at how his attack just disappeared like that. It wasn't blocked or deflected by Tsukune's own energy. It was just… gone. As Tsukune would put it, negated.

"Wow…" Tsukune said as he felt a sense of exhilaration fill him. He never once imagined he could ever attain the same power level as Ichigo, but yet he had managed to cancel out Ichigo's attack so easily! It gave him a sense of accomplishment as he looked at his sword, which returned to its normal steel sheen.

"Bankai!" Ichigo yelled out as the air in the vicinity suddenly kicked up. Tsukune braced himself for the incoming pressure… but felt nothing. In fact, for him nothing had changed. He could still see the air visibly distort, but he couldn't feel the effects. He blinked before he looked at his sword and noticed it was glowing again.

"Alright, this time I'm going to hit you with a black Getsuga Tenshou. Be ready." Ichigo said, already halfway ready with his attack. Quickly Tsukune fell into his 'catcher' stance and prepared for the assault.

Secretly Ichigo was a little worried. Sure Tsukune had just taken a Getsuga like it was nothing, but what about a black Getsuga? It was different. If any part of it touched Tsukune, it would drain him of his energy and burn him. But the boy seemed confident so for the moment, Ichigo would go through with his attack.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" The wave of black hurled at Tsukune with startling speed. Said person gasped as the attack collided roughly against his sword. But the results were no different. Like the other Getsuga, it had simply disappeared after a brief moment.

"Now I'm truly amazed." Ichigo remarked with a slight grin. It wasn't very often that someone could take a black Getsuga like it was nothing. Yet here was Tsukune, a total noob who somehow managed to accomplish said feat.

A hint of viciousness touched Ichigo's grin as he momentarily thought about pulling out his mask. A quick shake of the head cleared that thought away as he released his Bankai.

"Alright! What else is next Ichigo?" Said person noted the excitement in Tsukune's eyes. Ichigo could tell he was feeling proud of his accomplishment. At the same time, he himself felt proud. So this was what it was like to have a student huh? It felt kind of nice to Ichigo.

"Well," Ichigo began, "I don't know any real training techniques so we're going to do this the old fashioned way."

"What's that?" Tsukune asked before a feeling of dread filled when he saw a predatory look in Ichigo's eyes.

"We're going to spar!" Were Ichigo's last words before he disappeared from in front of Tsukune.

"Hyaahh!" Ichigo yelled as he reappeared in front of Tsukune and brought his blade down.

"AIIIEEE!" And so began Tsukune's two hours of dreadful sparring.

---

All said and done, Tsukune had done pretty well. Despite Tsukune's laid-back nature, he was pretty quick on his feet. He lacked any real physical strength and dexterity though. The boy was as rigid as an ironing board. Then again, this was his first time training so Ichigo would cut him some slack.

As Ichigo walked back to his dorm, he thought about other aspects of the sparring. He still wasn't entirely sure as to the full extent of Tsukune's abilities. One thing was for certain, and that was that Tsukune could 'negate' all energy with ease. It couldn't, however, negate physical strength. Whatever strength Ichigo had without his reiatsu reinforcing his body was what he had if the blade got close enough to graze him. Luckily all the grazes Ichigo had let slip by had proved to be nothing serious. His reiatsu would always come back after a short while, usually under ten seconds. The only probably was that his current blazer was now ruined, but he quickly filed all that information away.

With that stored in the back of his mind, he thought about a more serious issue…

His date… or rather, _dates_.

How was he going to go through with it? He wasn't exactly the suave type… and he had no idea where to go in this dreary place of a school. Everything was dismal and the horror type layout wasn't exactly romantic. Maybe a trip to the ocean would be okay were Ichigo's thoughts as an increasing nervousness began filling him as the dorms came into view. He couldn't pinpoint why he was nervous… he just _was_. It was like something had gotten a hold of him and wouldn't let go. His thoughts were in shambles and his focus was elsewhere. But as he thought about it, he realized that he was more nervous over his date with Kurumu more than Moka's, even though hers was first. But he would have to worry about this later and focus on the date with Moka.

Before he realized it, Ichigo was already in his room. He sighed as he took off his blazer and tossed it in the general direction of his couch. He could feel a headache quickly approaching as he plopped himself on the couch, next to his blazer. His head lazily leaned against the pillow as his legs spread out in front of him. Troubled eyes looked at the ceiling, as if searching for answers. He stayed there for a moment before he began to feel increasingly annoyed at not having an answer.

A frustrated grunt broke the silence in Ichigo's room as he got up and decided to make something to eat. He didn't feel like poisoning himself with his cooking, so he decided to make some instant ramen for the moment. That stuff tasted horrible, but it was more edible than his own cooking. The only thing he seemed to cook well were eggs, but then again no can really mess up eggs.

He shook his head again. He was getting distracted from the main point. What would he do for his date with Moka? As he looked at the ramen cooking in the microwave, he found his answer. He would order some food from the cafeteria beforehand, take it to go and they could eat at the ocean. But then… what would he wear?

_Ding_.

The sound brought some relief to him as his mind focused on his meal which he pulled out of the microwave. But sooner or later, he would have to think about his date with Moka again.

It seemed these thoughts were going to plague him for the remainder of the night…

What lay ahead for our orange-haired hero?


	22. Emerald

**Russion Roll'd! To all those =3 fans out there, you'll understand and if not, two camels in a tiny car! By the way… I think I maybe have invented a word in this chapter. Not sure where, but I think you'll see it.**

**Umm… I have no idea how to color code/match clothes, so I apologize to any girls that are fans for my lack of knowledge. Hope you don't get **_**too **_**upset by the clothes I chose!**

**I tried making Moka better, hope it helped. I'm trying to improve her character, though it won't be instant.**

**As a final note, did you know Ichigo is obsessed with butterflies? I didn't know that! **

**X X X X X X X X**

It was morning and Ichigo got up with a yawn. He was feeling very peculiar this morning…then again it would make sense since he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. He probably shouldn't have stayed up so late thinking about his date with Moka tomorrow…

Immediately alert, Ichigo turned and grabbed his clock. With bright red lights, the clock flashed seven o'clock. Ichigo blinked as he stared at the clock blankly before letting it fall to the floor. His head found the pillow once more as he rested there for a second, trying to calm his beating heart. For a moment he had thought he was late but as the clock showed, he wasn't, much to his relief. Moka probably wouldn't even be getting up until lat…

_Knock Knock Knock_

Ichigo froze as he heard the sound. For a moment, Ichigo's eyebrow twitched. That couldn't be Moka… could it? Wouldn't she be catching up on her beauty sleep? The knock on the door was persistent though and didn't seem like it'd be going away any time soon. Throwing off the covers, he got out of bed and walked towards the door.

He opened it to find no one there.

"Ahem." Ichigo blinked as he poked his head into the hallway. First he looked left and then he looked right. No one was there.

"Down here." Ichigo did as instructed and looked down to see the petite form of one Yukari Sendo without her hat. Oh, so _that's_ why he couldn't see her!

"Oh, hey Yukari. What's up?" Ichigo asked as he fought back a yawn. He was seriously going to get some zzzzz's after Yukari left.

"This!" Yukari quipped as she hoisted a blue vial into the air. Ichigo grabbed it from her tiny hand and proceeded to ask what it was.

"It's a pheromone enhancer!" Yukari explained, a slight blush on her cheeks as certain thoughts passed through her mind.

"And?" Ichigo quipped.

"And… it'll make you more attractive to Moka!" Yukari stated excitedly as the blush seemed spread from her cheeks to the rest of her face.

Ichigo blinked at this. "Why would I need Moka to be more attracted to me?" He asked before noticing that Yukari had a nosebleed and a really red face.

"W-Well. When you and Moka start making love to each other, you can invite me over!" Her body squirmed at the idea of being pressed between the bodies of the people she loved. There would be caressing, snuggling, hugging, touching, kissing, licking…

"The hell!" Ichigo yelled out, stunning the young witch, "I'm not going to have a threesome with you and Moka!"

Immediately as soon as the words escaped his lips, Ichigo regretted it. All the doors on his hall opened in rapid succession as multiple heads poked out, some in monster form, some half ways, and some completely human. Regardless of what form, they all portrayed features of immense jealousy.

"Well… think about it. I'll see you and Moka later!" Yukari winked before skipping away, giggling all the while. Ichigo looked in the hall and noticed that the stares were getting much more menacing.

So he sent them a scowl of his own. Not two seconds later the doors all shut and he was left in peace. Sighing and running a hand through his hair, Ichigo went back into his place and closed the door behind him. He momentarily stopped by a trashcan to throw the ridiculous vial away. That girl was insane, really. What kind of twelve year old thinks of sex at that age? Not to mention a… threesome…

The thought alone made Ichigo turn beet red as he shoved the thought away. He was red from embarrassment, not from being turned on mind you. Kurosaki Ichigo would _never_ entertain the idea of getting it on with a child. He had two kid sisters of his own for crying out loud!

Those thoughts were soon forgotten as he turned on the oven and took out some eggs from the fridge. He was up and awake now, no thanks to Yukari, so he might as well get started with the day. So much for those zzzz's he had wanted.

---

Ichigo looked at his checklist. So far he had gotten everything on it. He was carrying half the amount of food that was on the list. Why? Because he had taken into consideration that Moka was a vampire and if she was going to eat something, it would most likely be him, much to his chagrin. So, he bought himself a little extra food even though he got the strange feeling it would go to waste. Strange…

This was all strange, now that Ichigo thought about it. Here he was, preparing himself for a date with a girl and a rather pretty one at that too. Not only that, he also had another one tomorrow with _another_ girl. If only his dad could see him now…

No wait, scratch that. Ichigo was IMMENSLEY glad his dad couldn't see it. Otherwise he'd never hear the end of it. He'd probably want Ichigo to get both of them pregnant to have a zillion kids or something. Then his dad would take half of those kids, turn them into replicas of himself, and then use them to fight the kids that had remained loyal to Ichigo.

Ichigo shook his head. Now was not the time to think about his dad… he was already getting tired from the mere thought of his father's possible actions. So he got to work and laid out the spread. Not long after, he put the basket on the corner of the spread and waited for Moka to arrive.

Then it hit him like the steel girder that fell on Chad in episode four.

He hadn't contacted Moka yet about where to meet him! Cursing himself for forgetting about the person whom he was supposed to be going out on a date with, he got up and ran to Moka's dorm. This sudden shock had made him forget he could use Shunpo. What a silly person Ichigo was.

---

Moka hummed cheerfully as she tried on different dresses in front of her body length mirror. Currently she was only in her bra and panties as she moved one dress at a time in front of her. She couldn't decide what to pick. Bright colors wouldn't do well in this dim atmosphere, but dark colors would look just as bad. She needed something neutral, something that wouldn't clash with the atmosphere and yet, look good on her.

"_Why are you putting so much thought into this?"_ Moka was startled when she heard her Inner Self speak to her through the Rosario.

"Because." She stated simply, which would've probably earned a questioning look had her Inner Self been materialized.

"_Because?"_ Her inner asked.

"Because I decided that I'm not going to date Ichigo just to make him my mate." She replied as she momentarily stopped trying on the dresses.

"_Then why are you going to date him?"_

"I'm going to date him because I want to." She stated in an earnest tone, "I'm going to date him because I want to get to know him better. I want to date him because I _like_ him. I want to date him as me with no other pretense."

Her conviction left her Inner Self silent as she mulled over the Outer's thoughts. Dating because she _wanted_ to? While it was true there had been Vampires that had fallen in love, most of the time a Vampire mated with a suitable companion; one who was of either high status or wielded immense power, such as would be the case with Ichigo.

As the Inner thought about this, Outer Moka continued sifting through dresses. Finally she decided on a red summer dress with pink dots. The dress reached just below her knees, which made her think that it was too long. She thought about shortening the dress when a loud knock came from her door.

"Oh! That must be Ichigo!" Quickly she slipped on the dress and went to open the door.

"Ichigo!" She greeted the boy with a sudden hug and didn't let go until he replied with an unsure one of his own, which came after a brief moment.

"Hey… Moka…" Ichigo greeted as Moka pulled away, "So, are you ready to go?"

"Almost Ichigo, just give me a few minutes!" She replied before disappearing into her place once again. She left the door open, which left the orange-haired boy with a curios dilemma. Should he go in or stay outside? On one hand, he was curious to see her room, but didn't want to risk walking in on her doing something… personal. On the _other_ hand, he didn't really want to stay outside and look at the dreary scene of gravestones and a gray sky.

Then he remembered Yukari's words, making the tips of his ears go red. That thought alone was enough to make him wait outside for Moka.

---

Ichigo was now getting frustrated. Moka had said she would be out in just a few minutes, and now, thirty minutes had gone by! What could she_ possibly_ be doing that was taking so long? When he had last seen her, she had already looked ready. This made Ichigo tap his foot impatiently as he ran a rough hand through his hair. Feeling the need to find out, Ichigo went to knock on the door.

Before his knuckles could even graze the wood, the door swung open fully. Ichigo paused for a moment as he stared at the girl in front of him. Whatever she had been doing, it had changed Moka greatly. The makeup she was wearing, a faint mascara, brought out the emerald in her eyes. And as Ichigo's eyes trailed towards her lips, there was a faint glossy look to them that made them so… kissable. His continued searching her face as he noticed that she had powdered herself lightly, making her skin look smooth to the touch. Her hair wasn't its usual straight self either, but had a wave to it, like it was cascading down.

Needless to say, she was beautiful, and Moka know that's what he was thinking as she gave a proud smile.

"Uh… Moka?" Ichigo asked, unsure if the beauty in front of him was the same one he was going out with.

Said beauty stuck out her tongue playfully as she replied, "Of course it's me! Who else would I be?"

A picture of a silver-haired Moka with blood red eyes came to Ichigo's mind. Almost reflexively Ichigo said, "The other Moka?"

Now it was Moka's turn to pause as she thought about it. "Oh yea, I guess you're right. BUT she's not the one you're going on a date with, _I_ am!"

Ichigo continued staring, earning a questioning look from Moka.

"What?" She asked at his curious look.

"Ah, well. Aren't you both the same technically?" He replied straightforwardly.

"Well, we're not _exactly_ the same." She replied as she brought a finger to her chin, "We do share the same body though…"

They stood there in silence for a bit before Ichigo remembered why he had arrived there in the first place.

"So do you want to get going now?" He offered as he stepped out of the way.

Moka brightened before saying, "Alright! Let me just go get something!"

Before Ichigo could stop her, she had closed the door behind her. So Ichigo stood there in mid-grab, a drop of sweat rolling down the side of his face. He hoped that this wouldn't last another thirty minutes.

Thankfully it didn't because in less than two minutes, Moka was out. Ichigo noted that she had a wide, white hat on her head now and he couldn't help but feel that it was a bit much.

"Ready to go now?" Ichigo asked as she closed the door behind her.

"Ready!" She said and before long, they were off.

---

"Wow!" Moka said excitedly as she clasped her hands together, "This is such an amazing view!"

Ichigo on the other hand had a defeated look on his face as he sighed. It was dark and gray, the ocean was red with hopefully not blood, and there was no sun… he couldn't see how this was an amazing view. Regardless of what he thought, it didn't stop Moka from gushing like an excited child.

"You must've put a lot of thought into it!" She said as she turned to face him with shining eyes.

Ichigo sighed. In truth though, he _had_ put a lot of thought into it. He actually felt quite proud of himself for thinking of this place… even if he himself didn't like the view. He had remembered how the monsters here seemed to like these dismal places. From there it had been rather simple… choose the spot he least wanted to be at and there you go!

"I guess so." Ichigo said quietly as Moka sat down on the spread. She then looked up and patted the spot in front of her, indicating for him to sit down.

"What did you bring in the basket?" She asked as she opened it and looked at the contents.

Ichigo shrugged. "I brought a few sandwiches that I thought wouldn't try to eat me, chips and Dr. Pepper."

"Looks yummy!" Moka smiled as she brought out all the contents of the basket onto the spread. She stacked the sandwiches into two parts, as if she were going to have a bite as well…

Ichigo grew a bit nervous. He hadn't brought food for two people because he had thought Moka would feast on him… like usual. Yet here she was acting as if she was going to eat the food.

"You're gonna eat the food?" Ichigo asked when he saw her pick up a sandwich.

"Well, yea, why wouldn't I?" Moka blinked.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head. "Well… I sort of thought that you only ate for show since you always end up biting me when you're really hungry."

Moka gave a giggle as she replied, "I bite you when I'm hungry, true, but I can also eat food. It doesn't provide me with nearly enough nutrients as sucking blood but it does relieve the hunger a little."

Then she added with a smile, "Plus, I already bit you two days ago!"

Unconsciously Ichigo brought a hand to his neck. "Yea… you did…" He said flatly despite Moka's happy demeanor.

"I think you're a very good person Ichigo." She suddenly said, catching the Shinigami's attention.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, your blood is sweet!" She chirped happily, earning a flat look from Ichigo.

"Huh? How does that make sense?!" Ichigo sent her an incredulous look.

In turn, she brought up a finger and shook it. "To a Vampire, it makes perfect sense! You see, when we drink we're able to sample a person's personality from their blood. It's almost like the human phrase, 'The eyes are the window to the soul' except with blood."

Somehow… Ichigo couldn't wrap his mind around having to suck someone's blood to get to know who they were and frankly, he never wanted to get to know someone through those means. No offense to Vampires.

"That's disturbing." He spoke as he suppressed a shiver. This earned a giggle from Moka.

"Well every creature has its quirk. I'm pretty sure humans do things that are strange to monsters."

"I suppose." Was his simple reply. He supposed she was right. I mean just look at his dad… no, scratch that, no one should have to go through that torture.

"So are we going to eat?" Moka said as she gestured towards the food with a look.

"Yea… but we're not gonna have enough." He said as he took a look at the amount of food they had. Yea, definitely not enough.

"Well, I could always bite you." She suggested, making the color drain from Ichigo's face.

"N-No thanks! I'll just uh…" He got up as his eyes darted around, "I'll just get some tomato juice for you!"

Before Moka could stop him, Ichigo had already run away. Her hand stayed in the air, outstretched for a moment until she pulled back and puffed her cheek in annoyance. "Jeez… I was only kidding!"

Then she blinked. "Sort of anyways…" She admitted to herself with a blush. While she had eaten just two days ago, she just couldn't help herself whenever she was around him. She _still_ wanted to have a bite or even just a lick of his blood to satiate the thirst that was currently filling her. She pondered why that was. Lately she had been hungry for his blood even when she wasn't actually hungry. Could she be experiencing insatiable thirst? She had seen the definition in a book once in her home when she was young, but she didn't have the chance to read it before her father had taken the book away. He had said that she was too young to read that before leaving the room. This had upset her, but surely now she was old enough. Maybe now she could ask her dad for it? Absorbed in her thoughts, she failed to sense the approaching figure.

"If your boyfriend is so unwilling to share his blood with you, why not ditch him and come with a _real_ man Akashiya Moka!"

Moka quickly turned towards the familiar gruff voice only for horror to fill her. In front of her stood none other than Saizou.

"W-What are you doing here Saizou?" She asked in a panicked voice only to receive a predatory grin from him.

"You'll find out soon enough!" No sooner had those words left his mouth than a sudden pain filled her before her world went black.

---

"I should stop doing that..." Ichigo berated himself as he grabbed the two drinks from the vending machine. He was a person who _liked_ to help people and would feel bad whenever he didn't. Yet he had blatantly refused to allow Moka to take a sip. Sure it freaked him out, but it _was_ Moka's sourse of sustenance he reasoned. It _was_ helping… and yet, no amount of logic could alleviate him being put off by it.

Suddenly he felt a vibration in the air. Quickly he stretched out his senses to find out what was going on, but alas, he was still weak in this area and could not pinpoint it. He did know the general direction, and it seemed to be coming from Moka's...

Soon all that was left were two cans rolling aimlessly on the ground.

---

"Hmm. It's been a while since I've touched a woman this beautiful." Siazou chuckled maliciously as he caressed the side of Moka's cheek, "and you seem especially beautiful today my dear Moka."

"What do you want!" Moka demanded as she squirmed, trying to avoid the man's twisted touch despite being held by her hair.

Siazou momentarily stopped his actions as his voice took on a hard tone as he said, "I'm here to kill Kurosaki Ichigo."

Suddenly the air was filled with Moka's unexpected laughter. Shock filled Saizou and even Moka to a lesser extent since though she knew the _reason_ why she laughed, she didn't know why it was particularly necessary to do so. Admittedly, the thought of Saizou beating, much less killing, someone like Ichigo was rather humorous.

"What's so funny?" Saizou glowered menacingly at Moka as he pulled her by the hair, earning a pained yelp, "Tell me!"

Though the pain, she managed to say, "You'll never beat him. You're way too weak for someone like Ichi—"

Her face met the floor when Saizou tossed her down. Fury was written on his face as his monstrous form began to bulge through his human one. After tearing away from the disguise, a nine foot behemoth stood where the old Saizou once was. Stone hard muscles flexed and stretched as they were released from their confinement.

"Say that again..." Saizou's low and threatening voice sent a small wave of fear through her. The fear increased as Saizou hoisted up his gigantic arm, intending on using it against her. Moka shrieked and raised her arms in defense when he brought down his arm with startling speed.

A loud thump echoed before Moka noticed that the blow never came. She peeked through her arms and noted with pure relief that Ichigo had arrived in time to block the attack.

"Are you alright Moka?" Ichigo asked in a serious tone. His intense eyes bore into hers as she gave an absent-minded nod. Those eyes of his… they sent different chills down her spine, magnificent ones.

Turning his head, Ichigo now faced Saizou who was glaring at him with all the menace he could muster. "Kurosaki Ichigo…" Saizou hissed as he brought the other arm in an attack against the Substitute Shinigami. They were now in lock, both arms holding each other and preventing the other from attacking or moving.

"You know, if that attack didn't work the first two times, what makes you think it'll work if you do it again?" Ichigo smirked when Saizou scowled at his words but then became surprised when Saizou returned his own smirk.

"Unlike before Kurosaki Ichigo… I'm not alone." Ichigo's eyes widened when he felt a presence behind him. He tried to turn around but couldn't because Saizou had him trapped and he hadn't summoned enough reiatsu to break free.

"No hard feelings Kurosaki Ichigo! Just testing to see how strong ya are!" The person behind him spoke with a hint of glee. Ichigo managed to turn his head in time to see a blade aimed at his back in the form of a slash. This made Ichigo smirk, though Siazou or the other figure couldn't see. The person lunged as did the blade before the attack hit him, only making a thump against his back. The surprise emanating from the other figure was almost palpable as Ichigo felt the urge to chuckle, but first thing's first…

He didn't need to summon much reiatsu but what he did summon was enough to lift Siazou into the air and toss him like he was Kon. Saizou grunted as his back crashed on the hard ground with a resounding thud. This wasn't enough to put down the beast as he soon got back up.

"He's strong, looks interesting!" The final member of the trio stopped next to Moroha, his body never stopping its fidgeting and movement as he grinned.

"They're just tricks! Plus, he doesn't have his sword now. He's defenseless!" Saizou all but growled as he grinned at Ichigo's so called 'plight.'

Suddenly all three took a step back as they were bombarded by a wave of energy. Another shockwave hit them when Ichigo slammed his fast into the palm of his hand.

"Sword or not, you better be ready." Ichigo gave a smirk that sent chills down the trio's spines, "Because I'm about to kick your ass!"

"As if!" Moroha stated as his forearms morphed into sickly, bone-esque blades. "You're the one that's going down!" In an amazing display of speed, Moroha lunged at Ichigo, hoping to catch him before he could react.

However, what was an amazing display of speed for everyone else was only resembled closer to a hobble for Ichigo. He saw how the boy extended his arms, one aiming to pierces his chest while the other was aimed at his neck. Now that he was battle ready, all his reflexes were up to par, which gave him enough time to think before the attack hit. He was left with two choices: Dodge and knock him out or let the attack hit him and then knock him out. Hmm… decisions, decisions!

Of course, Ichigo decided on letting the attack hit to see their reactions. An attack that was intended to end his life stopped once it had touched his skin. This was to say, part of his shirt was ripped much to Ichigo's dismay. If Ishida had been there, he probably could've fixed it up in a jiffy. Then again, he really didn't want the Quincy's superior attitude hovering over him.

Ichigo's attention then turned towards the surprised boy in front of him, whose eyes widened from a mixture of shock and disbelief. The boy's eyes trailed upward, taking in the indifferent, yet distinctly victorious look on Ichigo's face as per the slight upward curve of Ichigo's lips.

Suddenly the boy felt a sharp blow to the stomach which knocked the wind out of him and knocked him out. The boy fell unceremoniously to the ground as Ichigo stared at the other two.

"Whoa… this is different. Wasn't this guy supposed to be weak Saizou?" The ever moving figure asked, twitching and spazzing.

Saizou growled as he ignored the boy's comment, opting to glare heatedly at Ichigo. The damn bastard was up to his tricks again! There's no way he should've been able to take down Moroha so easily! Anger and rage filled him as he struggled on what to do next.

"So, are you two gonna run away or can I kick your asses too?" Ichigo looked at them, his eyes darting between the remaining two. He didn't think the other one had any fighting ability since he really didn't give an aura. Saizou however, was absolutely fuming at the moment. He looked about ready to attack… and Ichigo was more than glad to hand his ass back to him.

"**You bastard! How dare you look down on me!"** Saizou growled with fury as he took a step closer to Ichigo.

"I'm not." Ichigo replied nonchalantly, "But I _am_ going to kick your ass for hurting Moka to get to me."

By now Saizou was absolutely livid. This _weakling_ was mocking him! Did this fool have no idea how close to death he was? As soon as he figured out the bastard's tricks, he would tear his limbs apart!

With something akin to a battle cry, Saizou lumbered towards the Shinigami. His two massive arms were brought over his head as he poured all his strength into his attack. A stronger wrath filled him when Ichigo didn't even seem the least bit threatened. Instead Ichigo simply looked at him, standing stock still. Saizou gave one last enraged howl before he brought down his massive fists upon Ichigo.

Saizou smirked when he felt the ground beneath give way and form into a crater. Surely that must've broken the boy's bones. There's no way he could come out unscathed!

To his sudden horror, his arms were going up against his will, and him with them! And below the smoldering crater was an unscathed Ichigo, giving Saizou a bored look.

"That it?" Ichigo asked, his tone borderline bored, "I guess it's my turn."

Ichigo concentrated some reiatsu into his fist, just putting enough energy into it to do what needed to be done. He cocked his fist back before slamming it into Saizou's gut. Spit and blood poured out of the behemoth's mouth as a mini-shockwave darted out from around them, kicking up dust and debris. Before long, Saizou joined Moroha in the land of dreams.

As he let the body fall to the floor, Ichigo turned to the last remaining member. He brought his fist up and said, "You want some of this too?"

The last member shook his head vehemently before turning tail, getting as far away from Ichigo as he could. Ichigo gave a victorious smirk before he turned to see if Moka was doing alright. No sooner had he turned around than he was enveloped in what would've been a bone-crushing hug had he been human.

"You're amazing Ichigo!" Moka said happily as she tightened the embrace.

'_**They're soft, eh kingy?'**_ Ichigo's Inner Hollow spoke when he noticed Ichigo's embarrassment rise at Moka pressing her lean frame against him… especially those _two soft things_.

'_S-Shut it! Not now!' _Ichigo urged his Hollow to be quiet. He was left with surprise when his Holllow had actually listened.

"You're always so amazing Ichigo!" Moka pulled away from Ichigo, a happy smile on her face. A cool breeze blew by, blowing strands of hair sideways.

For a moment, Ichigo paused, entranced by her beauty. The battle, if it could be called that, had heightened his senses and now he could only focus on the girl before him. He noticed how her tongue caressed her lips, moistening them and making them inviting. He could feel Moka's slender hand reach behind his neck and pull him closer to her. Almost as if disobeying, his body didn't even bother to fight back.

"Ichigo…" Moka suddenly breathed, sending a slight tingle down his spine.

"I…" She whispered as she leaned in close to an entranced Ichigo. Closer and closer her lips became until she tilted Ichigo's head to the side.

"Eh?" Was all Ichigo could say before Moka sank her fangs into him.

*Chuu!*

"DAMMMMMMIITTT!!"


	23. Hollow

**I was listening to the oddest of music while writing to this. That is to say, they were far from romantic. Hope it turned out well.**

**There seems to be a malfunction with my brain (probably from the essays I'm writing) because what I write is not what I'm thinking. Anyone know how to solve this?**

**X X X X X X X X X X X**

Ichigo laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he recalled the day's events. After being bitten, which brought a sour look to his face at the memory; they had gone back to their picnic only to find that Saizou had trampled all over their food. They had been dismayed, more so Ichigo since he was actually hungry and couldn't just feast on someone else's blood. They made the best of it however, and had ended up simply lying on the spread while listening to waves lapping against the cliff, their low rumbling echoing against the vast sky.

Ichigo had tried closing his eyes, pretending that he was beneath a warm sun and a clear blue sky. Reality was a real bitch when he opened his eyes to find out that was not the case. The sky was still its ugly gray color and the temperature was tepid at best, with a slight chill coming from the wind.

Moka's happy demeanor had been a positive thing though. She had suggested that they explore the school campus, earning a questioning look from Ichigo. She simply told him to trust her and go with her, which he did.

They had arrived at the relatively empty grounds, which had a few students milling about. Moka had given him a personal tour of the grounds, which made Ichigo realize how big the school really was. Without Shunpo, it seemed to take hours to explore each and every building. They even had their own hospital! He was thankful that no one he knew had needed it, which is probably why he had never seen it before. That and he probably ignored it during his patrols.

The day had finally reached an end, and Ichigo was tired, though the same could be said for Moka. She was still her bubbly, energetic self as she leaned into his shoulder as they returned to the dorms. Still, this brought a little smile Ichigo's face. Aside from the fact that he had gotten into a fight, gotten bitten, gotten lost, and then nearly bitten a second time… it had been a good date.

Ichigo felt his face flush as he remembered how she had expected a goodnight kiss from him. He clasped a hand over his face, the heat in his cheeks rising as he recalled how she had leaned in towards him. Now make no mistake, he had not been embarrassed that she had wanted a kiss. No, he had been embarrassed because he had reflexively pushed her away for fear of her biting him. She had given him a questioning, hurt look as she mouthed the words, 'why' to him.

"Sorry… I thought you were going to bite me…" Had been his lame excuse, which somehow had been acceptable to Moka much to his relief.

She still wanted the kiss though.

"So are you doing to make up for it?" She had asked, a twinkle in her eye as Ichigo gulped.

"W-Well…" He had stammered, not really knowing what to do, but he didn't have to. With a blush painted on her face, Moka had leaned in and stolen a kiss from him. Of course, she had been nervous as well and so her aim had been off, instead only kissing Ichigo on the corner of his lips.

Ichigo blinked as a finger rose up to touch the spot. It had been… strange to be kissed. Kurumu had kissed him a few times, as he recalled, but they had all been on the cheek. This one had almost reached his lips. He felt a strange, tantalizing sensation tingle where Moka's soft lips had been before he shook his head. He took in a lungful of air before releasing it as a long sigh, his head leaning deeply into his pillow. He continued staring blindly at the ceiling, thinking about nothing as he felt sleep pull at the corners of his mind.

He opened bleary eyes as he looked around. He quickly jolted up as dragged his eyes across the room, searching for any telltale sign of the time. His eyes finally stopped at the clock next to his bed as he sighed at not looking there in the first place. It was close to midnight, and he hadn't eaten anything yet. Even worse… he hadn't actually thought of anything to do with Kurumu tomorrow…

_Crap_…

He sighed again as he threw himself off the bed haphazardly before going to the kitchen and turning the light on. He stifled a yawn as he searched through his cupboards, looking for anything edible. He grimaced in dismay when he realized that he would have to do his own cooking. Begrudgingly, he set out for the task at hand as he pulled on his apron, cookbook, and all the necessary ingredients. With a flick of the switch, the stove ignited and he got to work.

---

'_I think I'm dying…'_ Ichigo groaned as he crawled to bed. That had not ended well. Something had been off with the food, which was weird since it had tasted alright. He chalked it up to some part of it not being thoroughly cooked.

Burp.

Ichigo quickly covered his mouth as he felt bile rise up in his mouth, threatening to spill. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the turmoil in his stomach to cease. The feeling abated slowly before disappearing after a few short minutes. For a moment he wondered if he should even take a shower before he decided he should. Gathering what strength he had left, he pulled himself to the shower, his feet dragging against the wood before he closed the door behind him.

He idly wondered why he was putting so much effort into this.

---

Ichigo groaned as he rolled off his bed, hitting his head against the floor before clutching it. The first thought of his waking mind was that he would _never_ cook again. He'd rather ask Kurumu, Moka, or even Yukari to cook something for him instead. Hell, he would even go to _Tsukune_ if need be.

He sighed as he straightened up into a sitting position, his eyes foggy as he blinked to clear his vision. He looked at his clock, noting it was 9 o'clock in the morning. Quietly getting up to his feet, he went to get a quick breakfast. Not knowing if he could actually stomach any food, he opted to drink some orange juice. At least the Vitamin C would help settle his stomach, or so he figured.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he looked at his closet. There really wasn't anything to wear. He growled as he found nothing before deciding to go for the first thing he saw. He grabbed a white undershirt before throwing on a casual, button-down checkered shirt that he really didn't like. It just wasn't his style.

Needless to say, after he brushed his teeth and washed his face, he'd be ready to go. He just hoped this date wasn't as fighting-oriented as the last one, granted it had been a very brief fight. Regardless, he didn't want to fight anyone today. He just wanted to relax.

---

Kurumu hummed a tune only she knew as she pulled the cookies out of the oven. Their steaming goodness filled the room with a sweet scent that made her giggle in delight. Ichigo was going to love this… and hopefully by the end of the date, _her_. She blushed at the thought of him wrapping his strong, masculine arms around her, pulling her close as he whispered those three words into her ear.

A tingle of delight ran its way down her spine as a tint of red touched her cheeks. She shook her head, letting her thoughts rest in the back of her mind as she turned her attention back to the cookies. She quickly waved a mitted hand, blowing away the steam and cooling them off. Tentatively she reached for one before letting it hop between her hands. Once it was cool enough, she took a quick bite and let the flavor seep into her taste buds. The flavor and texture were absolutely perfect! The sweet taste it held was only enhanced by its soft, yet crisp texture. The perfect cookie, if she had to call it something.

She hoped Ichigo liked them. She didn't really doubt he wouldn't, since he had liked her last batch. This time however, she had poured all of her love and affection for him into her cooking. There was no way he wouldn't be touched!

Again she fought off a blush as a wayward thought entered her mind, one being of Ichigo thanking her as he took her lips passionately, claiming them for himself. It was an ideal scenario, one which may or may not happen. But she had high hopes it would. Her mind trailed off, momentarily ignoring the cookies as she opted to feed her daydream a little while longer. She sighed blissfully before she became aware of a knock on her door. Snapping out of her thoughts, she quickly took off the mittens and dashed towards the door. She momentarily stopped behind the door, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear and making sure she was presentable before opening the door.

She opened to the door to find Yukari standing there, a sort of grimace on her face.

"What it is Yukari?" She asked politely, trying to hide the dismay in her voice that it had not been her Destined One.

"Moka's going to win!" Yukari said, surprising the bluenette.

"Huh?" She asked incredulously as Yukari repeated the same phrase.

"You're an okay friend Kurumu… but I really want Ichigo to be with Moka!" Her little friend replied. Kurumu's lips curled downwards in a frown as she looked at the young witch with a contemplative look.

"Well, that's not for me to decide," She stated truthfully, "Ichigo chooses whoever he wants."

Then a smug grin crossed her lips before adding, "Which I'm sure is going to be ME little miss flat-chest!"

Yukari gasped as a frustrated blush stained her cheeks. "W-We'll see! Moka has more grace and she'll surely win!"

Kurumu scoffed before spinning the little witch the other direction, "Whatever you say. Now if you'll excuse me, Ichigo will be here soon and I want to greet him with a happy face!"

She gave a victorious smile as Yukari huffed away in defeat. Besides, she was really doing Yukari a favor. There was no way Ichigo and Moka would let her have a threesome with them if they hooked up.

And that's a big _if_… a mighty big _if_. She knew she was going to win his heart. After all, he had already claimed hers.

Closing the door behind her, she went to get ready.

---

'_Another picnic?'_ Ichigo arched his brow when he saw Kurumu walk out the door with a basket in hand.

"What's the matter?" Kurumu asked, noticing his inquisitive look.

He shook his head. "No, it's nothing. I tried a picnic with Mok—"

He was stopped as a slender finger pressed against his lips, silencing him. A bewildered look crossed his expression at her touch, turning the tips of his ears red.

"You don't tell a girl about your other dates Ichigo. That'll ruin the mood…" She trailed off with a pause when she realized that she was touching Ichigo's warm lips. A rippling sensation ran along her nerves before trailing down pleasurably along her spine as she suppressed a shudder.

"S-Sorry." He stuttered out, not really paying attention as he became entranced by the distant look in her eye. It was filled with… something. Whatever it was, it made his heart beat against his chest.

Kurumu finally snapped back into the real world as she took a step back. She had to take a breath to calm her nerves. She couldn't figure out why that had happened. She had been around Ichigo so many times before… why was she feeling so breathless now?

"Um… should we go?" Ichigo asked as he reached for the back of his neck and massaged it; a sign of his nervousness.

Getting over her nervousness, she finally relaxed as she gave him a smile which seemed to ease him as well. "Alright, let's get going. I have surprise that I just _know_ you're going to like!"

---

They had trekked into the forest in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts. While Kurumu was thinking about her plan, Ichigo was thinking on what to talk about. He wasn't exactly talkative, even less so when speaking with a beautiful girl like Kurumu.

The tips of his ears turned fiery as he heard himself refer to Kurumu as beautiful. She was indeed a beautiful girl, both inside and out.

'_**Awww... aren't we feeling awfully sappy?'**_His Hollow jeered at him from the depths of his mind. He could just picture that insidious smile on his face. But Instead of being goaded into frustration, he actually returned a smirk to his Hollow.

'_You're just jealous you can't be with her.'_ He retorted, earning a malicious chuckle from his Hollow.

'_**I'll give you that kingy. If I was in your position, I'd already be fucking her brains out.'**_ The Hollow grinned malevolently as he heard Ichigo sputter out choked words.

"Are you alright Ichigo?" Kurumu looked up in concern when she heard Ichigo suddenly cough violently.

"I-I'm alright." He replied in a placating manner, trying to assure her that nothing was wrong. She still held that worried look, but it subsided after a while as she opted to focus on the date which brought a smile to her face.

They finally arrived to their destination… and much to Ichigo's dismay it was still within the forest. Only difference was that there was a clearing where he imagined it would've been a nice spot if there had been any sun... grass… animals… really anything that wasn't dead.

"Hey Ichigo," Kurumu called out to him, earning his attention, "you know that us Succubi have the ability of illusions right?"

That question set him ill at ease for some reason, but he nodded for the moment.

"Good! Then close your eyes." She smiled sweetly at him as she clasped her hands in front of her, unintentionally pushing up her _assets_.

"U-Uh… sure… I guess." Ichigo stated unsurely as he felt the tips of his ears turn red at the unintentional sight. _Damn…_

"Oh, and don't peek! Otherwise it will ruin the surprise!"

"I got it, I got it." He waved offhandedly, his eyes shut tight. He still couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

So he stayed there for about a minute. He crossed his arms patiently as he waited for whatever she was doing to finish. Suddenly, he felt a sudden warmth cover his entire body that seemed so very familiar, and… what was that smell? It reminded him of the grass he used to sit on back in Karakura town near the river. Still, he didn't open his eyes even though curiosity was starting to get the better of him.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now!" Kurumu's excited tone reached his ears as he prepared for whatever surprise she had.

Slowly his eyes opened as a blinding light greeted his eyes. He blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the unusual light. After everything finally cleared up, his jaw slackened.

"What do you think?" Kurumu asked gently as she scooted next to him, noticing his bewildered expression. She took the look on his face as a sign that he was very pleased since.

Of course, he had not heard her question. He was too engrossed in the scene before him. He was looking at the _sun_. He could feel the rays shine down on him, bathing him in a warm glow that he knew very well from his few lazy summer days. Directly in front of him was a wide expanse of tall, green grass that swayed in the cool wind.

_Wind?_

Now that he thought about it, yes, he could clearly feel a cool brisk wind which contrasted nicely with the warm sun. Finally, he heard a faint murmur, a slight whisper that could only be caused by one thing.

Even more green met his eyes as he looked over his shoulder and noticed that all the trees in the once desolate forest now held leaves which rustled quietly in the soothing wind, making a cacophony of music along with wind-swept grass.

The warm feelings Kurumu was feeling couldn't even explain how happy she was. She was absolutely thrilled that Ichigo seemed to be so absorbed with her creation. Heck, he wasn't even blinking! She was glad that she had paid attention to him always complaining about there not being a blue sky or sun. Because of this she had practiced in mastering her ability over illusions. Eventually she had grown skilled enough to cover a wide expanse… but even then there was a limit. She could already feel her energy being drained from her. She wasn't complaining though, the pleasant look on Ichigo's face and the warm feelings it brought to her heart were more than enough to keep her going.

"This is amazing." Ichigo whispered as he began walking forward, towards the grass. He walked down the small slope before feeling the tall grass brush against his jeans. Reaching down, he plucked a solitary blade and rubbed it between his fingers. It felt _real_. Dropping it, he did something Kurumu hadn't been expecting him to do.

He dropped backwards onto the grassy slope, an actual _smile_ on his lips which made her heart melt. A giggle escaped her lips when she saw Ichigo seemingly try to make a snow angel in the grass. In reality he had been trying to get the memory stuck in his mind. If he was going to be in this dreary school for another few years, he wanted to be able to remember and enjoy this as much as possible. He paused from his behavior to simply soak up the sun's rays. It was so warm, like a blanket covering him. It didn't get too hot either because the wind continuously brushed over him. It was an ideal temperature. Before he knew it, the exhaustion from last night had hit him full force as he was lulled into a peaceful sleep.

Curious as to why he had suddenly gone still, she walked down the slope to get a better look at him. She placed the basket off to the right as she lay down next to Ichigo. Turning her head, she noticed with a bit of surprise that he had fallen asleep. She huffed a bit, thinking that her cookies would go to waste. Any negative feelings she had of wasted cookies were soon erased by the sight of Ichigo's non-scowling face. A small blush crept onto her cheeks as she noticed how adorable he looked like that, especially with his mouth slightly open. It wasn't the face of a strong, powerful man, yet it had its own appeal. Curiosity got the better of her as she reached a hand out and traced a finger along his jaw, surprised when her body shuddered pleasantly.

She retracted her hand as she started feeling a bit lightheaded. Damn, she was already losing her grip on the illusion. It couldn't be helped since she was covering such a large area. She figured she could only hold the illusion for five more minutes at most. She hated the idea of Ichigo not waking up with the illusion still in place. She should've practiced harder.

Now was not the time to ponder over trivialities though. Instead, she decided to snuggle up to the man of her heart, wondering if she should wrap an arm around him. Throwing caution to the wind, she did so and felt immensely glad she had. Her heart fluttered as she inhaled his rich, masculine scent which sent an array of sensations through her. Cuddling herself closer to him, she could feel his body radiating heat like a furnace. It covered her in a warmth that made her feel secure and protected. She smiled softly as she rested her head on his wide chest, hearing the steady thump of his heart.

She wanted to stay like this… forever. Soon, sleep tugged her in as well. With her falling asleep the illusion lost its hold as it melted away, revealing the dull, dismal gray of reality.

It also revealed the imminent danger as a man stood behind a tree, looking at the couple slumbering peacefully in each other's arms. Quietly walking over to them, he looked at their facial features, noting the peaceful expressions on them. He grinned, knowing their peace was going to be destroyed.

Pulling out a needle, the man injected it into Kurumu's neck as she winced slightly, but continued sleeping. The figure kicked Kurumu in the head, making sure the concoction had worked, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it did when Kurumu did not wake up. Moving with agility, he quickly and quietly plucked Kurumu off Ichigo and threw over his shoulders.

He grinned as he walked back to his base. He knew that Ichigo boy was in for a rude awakening. That should teach him for looking down on the Outcast Ayashi.

---

Ichigo suddenly felt cold.

_Really cold._

His eyes opened, automatically shielding them with his hand as he prepared for the bright sun. There was no sun though as Ichigo sat up, pressing his elbows against the slope. He looked around only to find the same dreary scene that he had come to associate with the school. One thing was missing however, and as he looked around, he noticed that Kurumu wasn't with him.

"Kurumu?" He called out, a bad feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.

"Your lover isn't here Kurosaki Ichigo. Don't worry, she's being taken care of by our guys."

Ichigo whipped his head around to see a man standing there, an indifferent look plastered on his face. "Who are you?" Ichigo demanded as he quickly got up.

"Kusabi Midou." He stated plainly before turning around, "Follow me Kurosaki Ichigo."

He then looked over his shoulder at Ichigo before saying with barely concealed threat, "If you want to see your girlfriend that is."

Ichigo growled, his heart racing with fury at the thought of Kurumu being hurt. He couldn't do anything now though, and with a resentful silence, he followed Midou to wherever they were going.

---

Ichigo was lead to an abandoned building in a remote area, far away from the main campus. It looked like an old school building that had stopped being used for some time.

Ichigo looked around, seeing the various faces of the Outcast Ayashi. They all grinned at him, as if they knew something he didn't. He sent them a scowl which made a few of them turn away, though, he wasn't really worried about them. His eyes were too busy searching for a particular person, hoping she would be okay.

"Let go! Once Ichigo gets here he'll kick your ass!" Ichigo immediately whipped his head around, relief flooding into him as he found out that Kurumu was alive and literally kicking.

"Dammit! You bitch! Quit kicking me!" The person holding her captive yelled as he tried avoiding her kicks in vain. He yelped when her heel connected solidly with his shin.

Kurumu simply ignored the man's complaints and continued kicking him until she heard a familiar voice.

"Kurumu!" Ichigo called out as Kurumu raised her eyes to meet his. She smiled as she felt a slight blush heat her face when she took in the look of concern on Ichigo's face. He was concerned… for _her_. This made all sorts of feelings bubble within her, despite the situation.

Ichigo took a step forward, intent on freeing her before he was knocked back by a blow from Midou. It hadn't been much to Ichigo, but whoever this Midou person was definitely was stronger than Saizou.

"Sorry, but I can't give her back to you easily Kurosaki Ichigo. You're going to pay for demeaning us. Fight me if you want her back." He said before he released a powerful aura that swept over the area. Ichigo mentally cursed. He hadn't brought Zangetsu because he had thought he wouldn't get into a fight today. He should've known better.

The aura Midou was releasing was powerful, but even so he felt like it wasn't something he couldn't handle. Kurumu seemed to agree with his thoughts as she yelled at Midou, "Is that all? Ichigo could beat you with his _pinky!_"

Said person turned around, a sudden wild look burning in his eyes. "Are you looking down on us?" Midou spoke with a threat, which Kurumu seemed to be ignorant of.

"Of course I am! You took me for hostage just to have an advantage over Ichigo! What kind of being does that? It's not really fair if you ask me." She taunted before she felt Midou's aura increase in power as he partially released his transformation. His arm was now muscled with sickly looking claws at the end. His fist seemed to be encased in an armor that looked like it could deal a great amount of blunt damage. The person holding her captive had suddenly let go of her, running away as fast as he could. Kurumu didn't know why until it hit her…

_Literally. _Kurumu raised her arms to block the incoming blow.

'_Shit!'_ Ichigo cursed when he saw Midou run at Kurumu. Just as he was about to leap in between them, he was firmly held by four Ayashi that managed to sneak behind him. Their monstrous forms had barely managed to hold him down, but it had been enough for Midou to follow through with his action.

When Midou's fist connected, a cold fear swept through Ichigo. It was a fear that was totally and wholly consuming, shaking him to the very core as his legs trembled where he stood. Smoke kicked up, blocking his view, but Ichigo clearly saw the wall behind Kurumu become reduced to rubble.

Then he felt it. That voice that was always demanding to be let free. The jeering sound of his Hollow's voice. It reasoned with him, telling that this guy needed to be taught a lesson

_**He messed with our Queen.**_

Its words were laced with venom, and Ichigo could hear cold anger evident in its voice. Or did that cold anger belong to him?

_**He needs to be taken care of.**_

A darkness began creeping up inside of him, boiling away his sanity as revenge began consuming him.

_**Let me out, and I'll make him pay.**_

Ichigo fought back, despite the anger clawing at him. His Hollow would slaughter everyone. He couldn't let that happen…

Then he saw it, that smug grin that Midou was sending him. Yet still he fought. He fought to keep a grip on his sanity as his dark reiatsu began flaring out.

_**Look behind him. Look at our Queen.**_

Not of his own will, his eyes looked up, past the looming form of Midou who stepped closer towards him. All the feelings the filled him soon disappeared as his sole focus was on the girl that lay unmoving, bruised and bleeding, on hard concrete floor, her body twisted at an unnatural angle. All noise was blocked out except for a lone, solitary whisper within his mind.

_**Let me out…**_

…_Alright._


	24. Queen

**And now… the conclusion**

**X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X**

Midou stalked closer towards the shocked Soul Reaper, a grim smile stretched across his face. He couldn't help but grin. It served Ichigo right for crossing the Outcast Ayashi and looking down on them. Now he was free to do whatever he wanted with…

His body tensed and froze as he felt a dark energy emanate from the boy. His eyes saw Ichigo's body twitch and shift. Despite all the burly monsters, some of his strongest, they failed to completely hold down Ichigo. Then, like flies, they were swatted away as a burst of dark, wisp-like sheets of energy knocked them backwards, burning their skin in the process. They howled in pain as the energy latched onto them, pulsing as it feasted on their life force.

Then it came, a torrent of pressure that rushed out of Ichigo and left no area untouched. The air itself distorted, as if flinching from the weight of this unnatural energy. Even the colors surrounding Midou seemed to be affected, fading into shades of dull gray. Midou blinked, trying to shake away the illusion.

It was no illusion, and the colors remained as they were. Sweat began collecting beneath his palms as his heart began racing. He clutched his hands to try and stop the shaking that had overtaken them. He grunted as the pressure left him with a lack of breath and a feeling of helplessness. Curses left his mouth as his knees began trembling, threatening to buckle. Then he smelled a stink that was only given off by weaker creatures.

It was the stench of fear…

And it was coming from _him._

Raising his eyes, they met face to face with the dispassionate stare of Ichigo… only… it wasn't exactly him.

"**Yo."** Came Ichigo's disjointed voice, an unnatural echo vibrating into the air and sending a foreboding feeling down Midou's spine.

Midou continued gazing at Ichigo's visage, only to realize that it was half-covered by some sort of white mask that had red streaks forming in the middle before racing outwards towards the edges of his mask. His eyes were no longer normal. Instead, the white of his eyes were replaced with a sinister black as his irises shined with a malicious yellow that made fear coil in Midou's chest. He unconsciously took a step back.

"Wh-Who are you?" Midou found himself asking, his voice quaking with instinctual fear. 'Ichgo' smiled at him as his eyes shone with a cold detachment before taking a few steps closer towards the cowering Midou.

"**I am who I am."** A sadistic smile crossed _Ichigo's_ face as he pointed a finger towards Midou's forehead. Midou wondered fearfully what he was doing before he saw the red glow of some sort of energy begin to form at the tips of _Ichigo's_ finger.

One of the monsters that _Ichigo_ had knocked back saw the energy forming, and knew his leader was in danger. Despite the burning sensation that was biting deep into his shoulder, he managed to get up. Quickly he darted and swatted the hand of the creature that threatened his leader's life. The cero fired wildly, melting through the rough and utterly annihilating what was left of it. Both monsters stared wide-eyed at the destruction.

_Ichigo_ turned and faced the lackey, a twisted, bemused smile playing across the visible part of his lips. **"Like a dog protecting its master."** _Ichigo_ chuckled with a sinister delight.

The lackey gasped as a hand went through his shoulder. He howled in pain as he felt the hand move inside of him before stopping, cold fingers wrapping around the bone of his shoulder. A warm feeling displaced itself in the lackey's pants as he felt his shoulder ripped from its socket, a wet, popping sound echoing into the air. The ground was sprayed with red as the lackey fell, clutching his missing arm as shock began setting into his features.

_Ichigo_ gave an eager laugh as he kicked the lackey backwards, sending him end over end into a wall. **"Not a very good dog."** He said before catching a fist that was aimed for his head. The concrete beneath his feet gave way into a small crater below him.

"**That all you got?"** _Ichigo_ grinned with joy, feeling the lust of battle rage within him. Another of the monsters had tried taking a whack at him, thinking _Ichigo_ had been distracted.

They were all wrong. _He_ knew everything that was going on. _He_ knew where every single of the bastards were. _He_ knew what they were going to do before they even thought about it.

That's why he was able to stop a steel girder from slamming into his face. He wrenched the offensive metal into the air, along with the initial wielder who gripped on tightly, before hurtling it against the floor. The sickening sound of bones cracking and blood spilling reached his ears, sending a tingle of delight racing down his spine.

Now he turned towards the figure whose fist he was still holding in his hand. His grin only grew more twisted with sadistic pleasure as the figure tried breaking free of his grasp to no avail.

"**Sorry about that, didn't mean to ignore ya."** He apologized unremorsefully as the figure furiously shook his head, knowing the impending doom at hand.

Cold fear dripped down the side of the monster's face as _Ichigo_ placed a hand against his chest. Then, he pulled with the other.

A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air as _Ichigo_ pulled the limb free from its owner. Bone twisted away from muscle and tendons as blood spurted from the wound. After the deed was done, he tauntingly waved the appendage in front of the person whom he had just freed it from. **"Looks like ya really need a hand."** He said before a cackle escaped his lips. _Ichigo_ gave the monster one last stare before tossing the limb towards him. He took delight in the fact that he had actually tried to catch the arm, failing and falling to the floor with it. Then he turned his gaze towards the remaining Ayashi, who all tried to back away even as they were pinned down by his reiatsu. Looking back over his shoulder, he knew Midou wouldn't move any time soon.

So he darted into the group.

He was going to absolutely _love _this!

---

Kurumu blinked as pain wracked her body. She could feel the coppery taste of blood in her mouth, but she felt pain, which meant she was still alive. She opened her eyes, fighting the stinging sensation in trying to do so. Her left eye showed nothing but red. Blood had managed to obscure her vision. Her right eye was fine though, and she took in the scene around her, trying to figure out what was going on.

Bodies lay strewn across the area, some in pools of their own blood. What made her sick to her stomach was that they were still _alive_. Multiple bodies had missing limbs while some had puncture wounds through their bodies. A sickening feeling crept up inside of her as she tried to move into a better position. She hissed in pain when her arm wouldn't budge. It was broken, and it _felt_ broken. Her right arm was alright though, if a bit bruised. Using that arm, she tried pushing herself up as droplets of blood fell from her head and onto the floor.

"**Now, it's **_**your**_** turn." **

She paused, hearing the cold and disdainful voice reach her ears. It sounded like… Ichigo. Only, something was different about him. He didn't have the same calming presence. Instead he had a sickening and _gleeful_ aura surrounding him. She looked up and gasped as she saw him pull Midou up by the throat as Midou wrestled to try and break free. Horror crossed her features as she felt bile well up in her throat when Ichigo simply punctured Midou's stomach with his _fist_. Midou howled in torment as _Ichigo _brought his hand out and shook off the blood as if nothing.

"**Tch. Too bad I can't kill ya. Otherwise Ichigo would have a fit. Damn bastard."** _Ichigo_ growled before his lips curved upwards into a sinister smile, **"Good think ya monsters are tough enough to take my punishment!"**

Another hole was punctured into Midou, who lacked the air to scream from his punctured lung. His body began to spasm as blood flowed freely from his wounds, pooling beneath his feet. An anxiety filled him, making him feel helpless before the _true_ monster before him. He looked on, helpless against the brutal assault as Ichigo smiled with a maliciousness that would've made his stomach churn in horror had it not been for the pain already invading his body

"Let him go!"

_Ichigo _paused, hearing that all too familiar voice of Kurumu. Slowly, he turned his gaze to meet the frightened stare of the one he had dubbed "Queen."

Losing interest in Midou, he let him drop unceremoniously to the ground as clutched his wounds, agony filling every fiber of his body. Slowly, with deliberate steps, _Ichigo_ walked towards Kurumu.

Kurumu wasn't sure to expect. The aura Ichigo exhumed wasn't natural, and wasn't even remotely similar to the black energy he had used before. It had been dark, but that was all it had been. _This_ aura had a sinister, malevolent, and frighteningly gleeful nature to it. It was almost as if this Ichigo had been replaced with one who savored in the feelings of having his enemies cower before him as he struck them down mercilessly. It was almost as if he enjoyed seeing blood.

It was almost as if he enjoyed _killing._

She unconsciously crawled backwards when Ichigo drew closer. This, oddly enough she noticed, made _Ichigo_ pause before walking towards her with a slower, much more cautious pace. She hadn't meant to pull away, but her instincts as a monster had told her to retreat… that she was in the presence of a _real_ monster.

After what seemed like an eternity, _Ichigo_ finally stopped before her. He bent down on one knee and gave her a keen look.

"**Do I frighten you Queen?"** Came _Ichigo's _emotionless voice. His eyes scanned her face, as if looking for something.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, but moved forward, albeit a bit cautiously. The pain in her arm suddenly came back with a fright, making her keel forward from the suddenness of it. But she didn't hit the ground. Instead, she was stopped by a hand on her good shoulder. Curiously, she looked up and saw that the _Ichigo_ in front of her was helping her up.

Her lips suddenly became dry as she stared at the glowing yellow eyes. She was still fearful, she admitted, but as much as she had been before.

Finding some strength in the fact that _Ichigo_ wasn't going to do anything to her, she asked hesistantly, "Did… did you enjoy hurting those people?"

She was rewarded with an evil grin. **"Every fucking moment of it."** He said, not sparing her feelings in the slightest.

She recoiled slightly at his response, making _Ichigo's_ features go back to neutral. It was almost as if he had noticed the mistake in his response. Then another, more prominent question formed in her mind.

"Are _you_ Ichigo?" She asked, hoping the answer was a 'no.'

"**I'm nothing and everything like him." **Was his strange reply, **"He and I can't exist without each other, like two sides of the same coin. I am his inner darkness, his anger, his wrath, his instincts… his **_**desires.**_**"**

The look in his eyes as he said that last word, sent a pleasing chill down her spine, despite the situation. His voice had sounded gruff, almost needy as the hand on her shoulder squeezed ever so lightly. He could see his passion burning in his eyes as her heart drummed against her chest as she reached out to touch his face. _Ichigo_ closed his eyes and surprised Kurumu when he leaned into the touch.

Then she knew. He had done all of this for _her_. He had seen her get hurt and it had sent him into a rampage. She bit her lip, not knowing how to react to all of this. The pain and suffering he had caused to the others was horrendous, though a part of her felt that they had deserved it. She reasoned that had they not been stopped here and now, who knows how many people _they_ would've killed.

Again she looked at _Ichigo's _partially masked face, which seemed serene at the moment. Even after she knew what he had done, in the end, it had been for her and no other reason. As long as she wasn't in any danger, this sort of thing wouldn't happen. Finally, the hesitation in her heart seemed to melt away and she was left with nothing but gratitude for saving her life. He _had_ done this for her. If she had this much of a reaction from him… then if she asked, maybe he wouldn't do it again.

There was only way to find out.

_Ichigo's_ eyes widened when he was pulled into a sudden hug. "I accept you, whoever you are along with Ichigo." She whispered kindly into his ear as she fought back the biting pain in her shoulder, "Just don't do that again."

_Ichigo _just chuckled.** "Whatever you say my Queen."** Was the Hollow's final reply before he receded back into the depths of Ichigo's mind. The sinister aura seemed to simply vanish into thin air as the color returned to the world around them. She could feel the fragments of Ichigo's mask tap her shoulder as they fell, also vanishing into nothingness. Sighing in relief that the Ichigo in her arms was in fact _her _Ichigo, she couldn't help but run her fingers through his hair at least once as she felt that familiar aura wrap around her once again. She smiled. She had been right.

Black began creeping into the edges of her vision as the fog of sleeping began pulling her under, but not before a shadow towered over. With the last vestiges of her strength, she looked up out of the corner of her eyes and saw the bright, glowing eyes reminiscent of the bus driver. They stared down at her eerily along with an equally eerie smile. Finally her strength disappeared and she was lulled into sleep.

---

The dream began to recede and Kurumu slowly woke up. She was feeling a bit groggy, but rather comfortable. The bed she was in felt really nice, and the temperature wasn't all too bad either. The only thing that really bothered her was that intense white light she saw through her eyelids. It was really starting to bug her. It reminded her of hospital lights.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open, making her wish she hadn't. The lights flooded into her eyes, momentarily blinding her. Her eyes throbbed as she quickly shut them, hoping for some relief in doing so. Slowly, after the pain had ebbed away, she willed her eyelids to open slowly. She blinked, and that's when she realized that she actually _was_ in a hospital. The aroma of cleaners was testament to that fact.

Then, she heard voices. They seemed to be coming from somewhere in front of her, a little to the right. She got the notion to get up when her body gently reminded her that her arm was still broken. The pain was sudden, but it left as soon as it came once she fell back onto her pillow. This little action didn't go unnoticed as the two people whispering suddenly came to a halt.

She heard footsteps, and she noticed they were nearing her. She tilted her head to the right a little and was pleasantly surprised to see the scowling face of Ichigo.

"Hey." She whispered, her throat feeling tired.

"Hey," He replied, "How are you feeling?"

"Well," She began, feeling strength flowing back into her. Strange… she had felt tired just a second ago. She mentally shrugged it off, "I'm feeling better now."

Then she smiled, "And it's all thanks to you Ichigo!"

Ichigo looked away, feeling abashed, "I really didn't do anything."

Kurumu saw his embarrassment and decided to lighten things up, "Of course you did! My life was in danger and you came to my rescue."

The reaction she got was just the opposite. Instead, his mood had darkened and he didn't meet her eyes. Then he let out a long, drawn-out sigh as he said grimly, "I didn't save you. _He _did."

It took her a moment to realize what he meant. He was referring to that _other_ Ichigo… the one that had caused all that bloodshed and mayhem. She couldn't figure out why he was so bothered by it. Didn't he know that she had accepted both parts of him? She really didn't see any reason for it to cause a fuss… plus the _other_ Ichigo said he wouldn't do it again.

A light cough drew their attention to the corner of a room where a man garbed in white clothes stood, his eyes glowing brightly as he observed the teens.

"I am glad to see that your… _friend_ is alright Ichigo. I'll take my leave now." The man said with a light tone as he turned to leave. Just as he was about to close to the door, he looked at Ichigo over his shoulder and said, "Remember what we talked about."

The door shut, and Ichigo and Kurumu were left alone in the hospital room.

This did not go unnoticed by Kurumu, who despite her condition, felt heat rise to her cheeks. Sure she wanted to ask Ichigo what the man had meant by that, but she was more aware now of the fact that they were both alone… together… just the two of them… in the same room… no one else around. Any other thought was thrown out of the window.

Ichigo, however, didn't have the same reaction. His thoughts were still on the horrendous event that had happened yesterday. He couldn't believe that his Hollow had gone on a rampage. No… that wasn't it. He knew that's what would happen if his Hollow ever got out. What really struck a chord with him is that he had _let_ him out, of his own will. He hadn't been under any strange influence. He had actually willingly let him out.

Why?

"Are you alright Ichigo?" Kurumu asked, noticing the distraught look Ichigo's face had taken. He turned to her, his scowl deepening even further. For reasons unknown to him, his Hollow had decided to block out the conversation he had with Kurumu.

Again… why?

He shook his head. "I'm alright." He said as he fought back a sigh. He wanted to reassure her that everything was fine… but for some reason he just didn't feel up to it. He just felt like he should bear his emotions to her. Somehow… he felt that it'd be alright.

Another why.

"No you're not, you're pouting!" She exclaimed, a hit of mirth in her voice. Ichigo blinked as he turned to look at her, unable to comprehend what she had just said.

"What?"

"You're pouting!" She reiterated, "and it's cu~ute!" She said in a sing-song voice. This made the tips of Ichigo's ears turn red at the sheer display of mockery.

"I-I'm not pouting!" He defended, only making Kurumu's eyes shine with amusement as her smile widened.

"Yes you are!" She continued badgering the poor Shinigami.

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm _not_!"

"Yes… you _are_!

"Dammit no I'm not!" Ichigo finally yelled out, frustration clearly evident in his voice. Kurumu couldn't stifle the giggle before it turned into uproarious laughter… and then into lances of pain when she accidentally moved her shoulder too much.

Immediately Ichigo was right beside her, holding her good arm as she tried to get a grip on herself. "Hey, take it easy." He told her in a demanding, but soft and caring voice.

He then became surprised when Kurumu looked at him with a tough and defiant expression as she clutched his sleeve and pulled him slightly closer. "I'm a tough girl Ichigo. I'll be fine in no time!" She ended in a more relaxed tone. There really was something to Ichigo being near her. Not just that he made her heart race like it was on the Daytona 500 speedway, but something within him gave her energy… gave her strength.

Ichigo blinked before offering her one of his rare smiles, which readily made her cheeks flush. Then they realized how close they were to one another and almost immediately they became entranced with each another. Ichigo had never noticed it, but Kurumu had a smooth, light scent to her. It was like smelling a flower. He leaned in unconsciously to get a better whiff, and realized that she indeed smelled like jasmine mixed with lavender. The aroma made Ichigo's heart skip a few beats as he took in more unconscious breaths of her sweet fragrance.

He paused when he heard Kurumu gasp, and that's when he realized how close they truly were now. He could feel her warm breath wash over his face. He could see every little detail of her face, from the curvature of her eyelashes, to the fullness of her lips that were so… tempting…

Kurumu's heart rang loudly in her ears as Ichigo moved ever closer. She panicked, not knowing what to do as she froze there. Here she was, about to be kissed by man she loved, and yet she hadn't taken a bath since yesterday. She probably smelled bad too, didn't Ichigo care that she wasn't completely presentable?! But… his eyelids were halfway closed and it didn't look like he'd be stopping midway.

What was she thinking! This was her chance to win the love of the man she adored. There was no Moka, no Yukari, no anyone to stop her! She could finally win his heart… just like he had won hers. And so, setting aside her nervousness, she closed her eyes and awaited the fateful kiss.

"NUUUUUUUUU!" The door suddenly opened and in came Yukari toppling end over end. The sudden noise made Ichigo's eyes snap open and hastily become aware of his actions. With an embarrassed flushed, he quickly pulled away before looking at Kurumu once, and then going over quickly to help Yukari up.

"_Damn damn damn damn DAMN!"_ Kurumu cursed furiously in her mind, ignoring the pain that was being caused by her trembling in rage. She had been so close… oh so very CLOSE!

That was it… she was going to strangle Yukari no doubt about it. Once she was out and about, the first thing she would do would be to tie the witch over a boiling cauldron and wait for her inevitable demise. That'll teach her for messing with a woman's love!


	25. Memory

**I don't really have much to say other than how are you guys? I saw Clash of the Titans and let me tell ya… I expected a whole lotta more action at the end. Good story though, worth seeing once, maybe twice.**

**The Book of Eli is definitely worth seeing 3 times… but that could just be my taste. Anyways…. Yea… das about it.**

**X X X X X X X X X X X**

Ichigo lunged himself at the boy in front of him. He let out a horizontal slash that made Tsukune backpedal as he tried dodging the swipes at him. Using what Ichigo had taught him, he jumped into the air and aimed for Ichigo's head. His sword met Ichigo's as the metal grinded against each other, but Ichigo pushed him off… this time without throwing him through multiple trees. It seemed his reiatsu control was improving.

Tsukune dodged another swipe from Ichigo's sword, and proceeded to try and stab him. Like all other times though, it failed. Ichigo simply back stepped and knocked the sword out of Tsukune's hand with the back of Zangetsu. That meant the battle had ended.

"So… how am I doing?" Tsukune asked as he scratched the side of his head.

Ichigo seemed to be in thought for a moment before saying, "You're not improving… at _all._"

Tsukune simply replied with a sheepish grin, bowing his head a bit. "Sorry. No matter how much I train with you, I can't seem to improve."

He hesitated for a moment, but decided to ask, "Have I actually improved in _any_ area at all?"

There was good news, however, as Ichigo said, "Well, your sword handling _is _getting better. You're just not getting stronger, faster, or anything else."

"Do you know why?" Tsukune asked. He was a little glad that he had improved in something, but the fact that he was still in the same shape when he first started bothered him.

Ichigo shrugged. "Maybe your ability is draining your power or energy or whatever."

Tsukune hadn't thought about that. Could it really be that his ability was a double-edged sword? That didn't make sense though. His ability negated things, not absorbed or drained. That's why it couldn't simply kill something on its own. He still wasn't particularly clear on that, but he did know that his sword couldn't just take away life.

"Well, maybe that's true." Then, feeling downcast about his lack of improvement, he decided to change the subject, "How about you Ichigo? How are things going for you and Kurumu?"

"W-What?" Ichigo stuttered, staggering back at the sudden question. Tsukune simply shrugged, unsure of why the question startled him.

"Didn't you guys kiss?" Tsukune asked, as if it was the most obvious thing.

"What the hell makes you say that!" Ichigo yelled at the boy, who cringed slightly at the volume.

"S-Sorry!" He raised his hand up, trying to placate the boy, "It's just that me and Mizore went to check up on Kurumu… and… well… you guys looked very intimate. So we backed away."

Ichigo's eyes widened slightly in surprised, but then he found the ground very interesting at the moment as his eyes trailed down. He recalled the memory. He recalled the way she had smelled and how her lips had looked so inviting at the time. The tips of his ears turned red. "N-No… we didn't kiss." He all but whispered, "Yukari interrupted us."

"Really? We didn't see her when we walked by." He replied, a bit curious as to how Yukari had managed to slip by. He figured that she hadn't been wearing her hat. She _was_ short after all.

"Well, she did." Ichigo said in a subdued tone. This came as a surprise to Tsukune, who had never seen the Shinigami so downcast. Actually, he had _never_ seen him downcast. The way he was standing still, the look of uncertainty on his face, just the negative aura that surrounded Ichigo beckoned something. Suddenly, it hit Tsukune. Could it be… that Ichigo loved Kurumu?

A smile formed on his lips as a question formed in his mind.

"Did you… _want_ to kiss her Ichigo?" He asked cautiously, not wanting to call upon Ichigo's temper.

Ichigo now stood stiff, as if encased in a block of ice. His rigid form carefully looked up at Tsukune, who couldn't read Ichigo's neutral face at the moment. This day seemed to be filled with surprises. First, Ichigo looked downcast and love-struck, and then Ichigo was actually not scowling. What next, Ichigo was going to go up to Kurumu and kiss her?

Though, judging from Ichigo's temperament, if he was pushed hard enough he just might.

Multiple times during the silence, Ichigo opened his mouth to say something only to close it immediately afterwards. It was as if he was working on what to say, but the moment he decided to open his mouth he forgot. Tsukune figured he was having a tough time describing his thoughts so he decided to help out the orange-head.

"Well, they way I see it," Tsukune began in a light-hearted, but slightly serious tone, "I think you do like her."

The response was immediate as Ichigo grumbled a reply, "How would you know that?"

Tsukune gave a reminiscent smile as he replied, "Because I was in kind of the same boat as you, only with Mizore."

Ichigo's eyes widened slightly. How could he have forgotten that Tsukune was dating Mizore? Then again, he didn't see the ice girl much and even when she _was_ around, she had a concealed presence. Something within him urged him to listen, to follow the advice that Tsukune was about to give. Then, he found himself raptly listening to Tsukune's experience and was quickly finding out that Tsukune really had been in the same boat he was.

"At first I didn't pay attention to Mizore." He smiled at this, remembering how dense he had been, "Then I started wanting to be closer to her. It was strange, I didn't know why, but I felt I needed to. I also started noticing things about her, like how her face was shaped, what color her eyes were, how soft her lips looked, how she smelled."

He paused and noticed something go off in Ichigo's head. Tsukune smiled. It seemed he had hit the nail on the head. "Then when I kissed her… everything felt right."

Ichigo looked at Tsukune before trailing his eyes down towards the ground, thinking about what he had said. It was true… all of it. That was _exactly_ what he had felt at the time. Could it really be… that he was in love with Kurumu? His eyes widened when the thought caused his heart to beat against his chest. He felt this nervous, yet exciting sensation run through his being. At the same time, a knot formed in his stomach as apprehension settled in. If it was true, what would he do about it?

Tsukune just watched with mirth in his eyes as he saw the myriad of reactions coming from Ichigo. First he became stiff, then his eyes widened as if realizing something, then his face became serious—undoubtedly thinking about what this meant—until his eyes widened, probably from feeling some strange emotion dwelling within him. This was what Tsukune surmised. He himself had come to terms rather quickly with his feelings with Mizore, but Ichigo was far denser than he was, so it might actually take some time.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the silence was broken as Ichigo said in an uncertain tone, "So… what if I do lov..lik...think I'm interested in her? What… should I do?"

Tsukune covered his mouth with his hand, feigning that he was deep in thought. In reality he was trying to hold back the laugh that was welling inside of him. So it seemed Ichigo couldn't admit he was in love, or even like Kurumu, but only interested. He really would be a tough nut to crack. Well, whatever, it's all the same thing if Ichigo does end up kissing Kurumu.

He became serious though after that brief moment. He didn't want Ichigo to think he was making fun of him. He was actually glad that Ichigo was finally opening his heart to someone. The feelings of love—and the other things that came with it, he thought with a blush as he remembered certain _activities_—were all magnificent things.

"Well," Tsukune began in a sagely tone, "The first thing you should do is talk to her more often."

"Huh?" Ichigo asked, sounding incredulous, "How would that help?"

Tsukune held up a hand as he continued in voice filled with wisdom, "You can't be with a girl if you don't know her inside and out. Don't you think it would make Kurumu feel bad if you didn't know a thing about her?" When he got a nod from the attentive Ichigo, he continued, "Then when you're ready, take her somewhere alone, just the two of you. Do something romantic, make her heart beat and then when the mood is right, go for the kiss."

Ichigo gulped when he heard Tsukune say the last part. Go for the kiss? That was a lot easier said than done. First off, he didn't really know if he even _liked_ Kurumu that way. Sure he got all these… weird feelings, but that didn't mean anything... did it?

Ichigo blinked. For some reason he felt like his Hollow was letting out a frustrated sigh. At the same time, he could almost see Zangetsu shake his head in disappointment. This frustrated him, and was about to snap at them when Tsukune spoke up again.

"Actually," Tsukune's sagely voice turned sheepish, "That's not the way it happened with me and Mizore."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Eh? Then how _did_ it happen?"

"Well…" Tsukune trailed off as the memory of that night came to his mind, making his cheeks flush and his heart beat.

"Well…?"

"It went sort of like this. I still didn't know Mizore had liked me at the time, but she would always invite me to her apartment to either watch a movie or just to hang out." Tsukune felt really ashamed at the moment. Such large hints and he hadn't been able to connect the dots!

"Every time I left, she would give me a hug. Then, sometime later, she started giving me kisses on the cheek. I just sorta thought that she was being friendlier than before since we were closer friends now." He scratched his head as he smiled sheepishly, "I think she just got fed up from waiting and decided to take matters into her own hands. We were watching a movie one night, and she had looked particularly cute that night… but I really hadn't thought anything of it. We sat on her couch, ready for the usual routine of watching a movie and all that. As soon as the movie started and the lights were off, she laid her head on my shoulder. She told me it was more comfortable this way since I was warm. I let her do it, and that's when I realized that it really _did_ feel more comfortable."

Tsukune shook his head at the moment, as if disbelieving of his actions, "I _still_ didn't think much of it, even when my heart started beating a little bit faster. The movie continued… can't really remember what it was about. I think it was comedy… not sure, but either way, it made Mizore playful I think. She had started poking me, teasing me, and smiling so… so nicely." He sighed as he remembered the moment. The lights were off and the atmosphere had been so cozy and warm, he could literally feel the connection forming when he thought about it, "Then she started rubbing her nose against my shoulder. I really didn't know why she was doing that, all I knew was that these little things she was doing were making my heart beat really loudly. I suddenly started feeling the urge to pull in closer to her, to have more of her touch me. And the perfume she had worn that night… wow, it was amazing! I wanted to smell more of it, to be soaked inside that fragrance that belonged to her."

He smiled tenderly as he recalled his next action, "While Mizore was still nudging my shoulder with her nose, I finally caved in. Before I knew it, I reached out and began stroking her hair and, somehow, her ear after that." He chuckled, "I remember now… she purred when I did it and was completely still as I kept doing it. I didn't know what I was really feeling at that moment, because it felt like I was about to explode, like there was a pressure inside of me that wanted to be set free. The next thing I knew, I had pulled up Mizore's chin and kissed her."

Tsukune closed his eyes as he savored the memory, reliving it in his mind's eye. Then he let out an amused laugh. "Do you know what she said after I did that?"

"W-What?" Ichigo stuttered, feeling startled when he realized that he had been imagining himself in Tsukune's memory, only, it had been him and Kurumu and not Tsukune and Mizore.

Tsukune smiled. "She said, 'Finally' before she kissed me again."

Tsukune shook his head as his smile widened even further. He still couldn't believe how dense he had been. Really, anyone else would've noticed. But not him, he had to wait until he practically exploded to notice. After shaking his head one last time, he turned to Ichigo. His eyes were serious though kind at the same time.

"So, don't wait too long. I guess that's what I want to say." Then he smiled, "Unless you're actually a smooth-talker or something and you're pretending to be hard to get."

Ichigo gave Tsukune a disbelieving look, but then his features became soft as well. "Thanks for the advice. I'll… keep it in mind."

Then, left to their own thoughts, they walked away. One boy was grinning, planning to recreate that special moment again while the other boy thought about what had been said.

---

Walking through the hospital doors, Ichigo couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. He was going to visit Kurumu, even after that awkward moment. What made things worse was that Tsukune's words now weighed heavily in his mind. He grunted, was he really in lov..lik.. was he really interested in Kurumu? Sure she was nice, he admitted. She understood him and genuinely cared for him. She knew what made him happy, which was definitely a plus.

But that didn't really mean much right? I mean… maybe she only thought of him as a really good friend. Then he realized he was being an idiot as he palmed his face. Why would she ask him on a date if she only wanted to be friends? How could he have forgotten that small, yet crucial piece of information!

Because he was _retarded!_

Ichigo blinked.

'_Get the hell out of my thoughts you bastard!'_ Ichigo yelled at his Hollow, knowing full well that last thought had not been completely his.

'_**Heh, you can't deny it though. You ARE being completely fucking stupid kingy." **_His Hollow sneered at him, a hint of disgust evident in his tone.

'_W-What! How do you even know anything?"_ Ichigo snapped back. His Hollow didn't reply, but he could almost see the taunting grin on the bastard's face.

Ichigo sighed, now was not the time to be dealing with him. Suddenly, he heard yelling coming from down the hall… and it seemed to be getting closer.

"Wahhhhhh!" The voice cried out. The figure darted around the corner and was now running towards him. Upon closer inspection, he noticed it was Yukari before she zipped past him.

"AUUUUGHHH!" A second voice caught his attention, and he immediately knew who it was.

"Kurumu?" He asked, making her pause only momentarily in mid-run.

"Hey Ichigo. Sorry, but I have some business to take care of. Later! AUGGHHH!" She continued yelling as she ran, presumably after the young witch even with a cast on her arm. Ichigo could only stare blankly, wondering what that was about. He had failed to realize that he was still staring even though Kurumu was no longer there.

He didn't turn around until someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, and was surprised to find Ruby standing there. "Hey Ichigo!" She greeted him enthusiastically, a small blush adorning her face.

"Oh, hey." He greeted, "What have you been up to?"

"Nothing much," She said, "Just been helping the Chairman with a few jobs here and there."

"You mean that creepy guy that looks like the bus driver?" Ichigo asked, earning a giggle from Ruby.

"Yea, that's the one." She admitted.

"Well, be careful then. You never know what he might put you up to." He cautioned, making Ruby's blush deepen at his concern.

"T-Thank you Ichigo. His jobs aren't always bad though. He's the one that asked me to heal Kurumu." She became intrigued when she saw him stiffen at her name. She wondered what that meant.

"Well… tell him I said thanks then." He said, his voice equally stiff.

"Is something the matter Ichigo?" She asked as she looked at him curiously, concern etched into her features.

"It's nothing." He waved it off, but Ruby didn't let it go. She was genuinely curious to see what could make the brick wall in front of her so nervous and agitated.

Teasingly, she asked, "Are you having girl troubles?"

Surprise came to her when her joking assumption had been proved correct when he nodded. "Y-Yea… I guess I am."

She bit her lip. She had developed a bit of a crush on the boy when he had saved her. Truly, he had been remarkable at that time, and she had hoped that she could try to win his affection once everything was done and over. But it seemed like he already had eyes for another.

"Do you… love her?" She asked, careful to make her voice as neutral as possible. She didn't want the disappointment she was feeling to creep into her voice. Even if she couldn't be his, she still wanted to have some sort of connection with him.

Ichigo gave a rough sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. "I… I'm… I uh…" He sighed again. He paused for a few seconds before continuing, "I… guess I am… sort of… interested... I guess…"

Despite the disappointment she felt, she couldn't help but admit that the flustered look on his face looked cute. That alone was enough to lighten her heart, if only a bit.

"Well, what I think you should do is simply get to know her." She advised.

Ichigo looked at her, and remembered that's what Tsukune had said before. Since Ruby was a girl, he figured she knew what she was talking about. "So… just talk to her?" He reiterated.

Ruby nodded. "Right, just talk to her. Girls love it when you know little things about them."

"Like?" Ichigo probed for more information.

"Like when you know what makes them happy and how to do it. When you know how they're feeling after only a glance. The kinds of romantic things that make a girl melt." She sighed dreamily at that, thinking how nice it would be if Ichigo thought of her like that.

Ichigo scratched the side of his head. He didn't exactly know what those romantic things were. He'd give the 'talking to get to know her' thing a shot though. It seemed like an obvious thing to do… despite him not coming up with the idea himself and had needed to hear it from two other people.

He thanked her, and was about to walk away when she pulled his arm, turning him around. "What is it?" He asked.

"N-Nothing. Good luck Ichigo!" She gave a small pump of her fist, encouraging him to do well.

He gave her a grateful smile as he said, "Thanks" before turning to leave the hospital. He still had classes after all.

Ruby continued to look on, even after Ichigo's form had disappeared around the corner. She wouldn't give in to her negative feelings, however, and instead genuinely wished for Ichigo's happiness along with the girl he liked.

---

Night descended over the hospital, and all was quiet except for the taps of shoes that could be heard on the third floor of the hospital. A lone woman walked through the desolate halls, her face neutral before she came to a door and opened it.

The woman stared at the figure in front of her that was wrapped in bandages. She gave the figure a sour look, not that he could see since he was sitting on a bed and facing the opposite direction.

"It seems that that Kurosaki Ichigo is up and about, not a single injury on him." Her voice turned harsh as she continued, "Didn't you say you were going to make 'mince meat out of him'?"

The man looked at his hand, gazing at it, remembering how helpless he had been. But next time, he wouldn't give into the fear he had felt. He knew what to expect now. "Please give me one more chance," He pleaded, "Next time I'll beat him for sure. With these hands, Ichigo will…"

"Midou-kun," The sweet voice of the woman called out as she stepped closer to him.

Midou turned to look at the woman and could only widen his eyes when her finger turned into a needle-like appendage. Before he could try and stop her, she quickly stepped over to him and plunged the needle into his neck, whispering gently into his ear, "No."

As Midou choked and gasped, futilely trying to move away, the woman continued to whisper in his ear, tone harsh, "Why'd you think 'organization' had 'sweepers' such as me come?"

She took delight in the horrified expression of Midou, probing her needle even further into his neck as he writhed in pain before answer her own question, "To clean up your mess is why Midou-kun. Losers are never forgiven, that is the rule of the Outcast Ayashi! With the exception of me and everyone above me, useless people like you who disappoint us shall feel our wrath!"

With that, she ripped out the needle, making Midou's blood gush out like a fountain, staining the immediate area with his blood. The woman laughed derisively as she turned towards the door, her eyes burning bright. She still had a few more rounds to go judging by how many had been left alive during Midou's so-called fight. She smiled at that.

She looked out the window, gazing at the full moon that hung in the sky. Her thoughts brought her to the person that had caused so much trouble. _'Kurosaki Ichigo. It can't be helped, so I guess I'll be the one to kill you. With my ability, not a single trace of you will be left!'_

She cackled as she exited the room, savoring the horrified expression his face would have once she used her ability against him.


	26. Mako

Ichigo let out a noise of frustration as he recalled his actions… or lack thereof. He had proceeded to go and find Kurumu. Though, in reality, he really hadn't thought of what to say once he had gotten her attention. That didn't matter though, in the end he had chickened out. His face turned sour when he remembered how he had reached them and paused. Yukari had run out of breath, but so had Kurumu, and for a moment he had wondered what Yukari had done to upset Kurumu. He sweat dropped when Kurumu continuously began bonking her on the head with her good arm and yelling something. He hadn't paid attention to what she had said because he was too busy wondering what he should say at the moment.

That's when Kurumu turned to face him after relieving her frustration on the poor witch. Yukari rubbed her sore head as she walked away, a pout on her face. "What's up Ichigo?" Kurumu asked, startling Ichigo as he flinched a bit.

Kurumu took notice of this little action and asked in a worried tone, "Something the matter Ichigo?" as she took a step closer towards the flustered boy.

"N-Nothing!" He assured her as he took a step back. Kurumu gave him a curious look, her violet eyes staring intently at his face as she continued to approach him only to see him stiffen and look away. She wondered if he was upset, but in reality all that happened was that Ichigo had found Kurumu's curious stare endearing at the moment and had gotten embarrassed.

"Are you sure? You're unusually fidgety." She pestered, confused when Ichigo shot her an apprehensive look.

"No I'm not!" Kurumu raised an eyebrow. Sure Ichigo was short-tempered at times, but these actions were stretching it a bit. She took a couple of steps forward, and Ichigo took the same amount back. This continued until Ichigo bumped into a tree before maneuvering around it. Finally, they both paused and Kurumu put her hand on her hip, beginning to get upset.

"What's gotten into you Ichigo?" She asked, bewildered at such strange behavior. The way his jaw muscles were held tightly, his wide eyes, his stiff stance… it was almost as if he were afraid of her.

A light went on in her head. Could it be… that Ichigo was embarrassed after that near kiss? Her features softened as her heart fluttered at the thought. If so, then that meant Ichigo had felt something at the time. Something positive, she hoped. Hoping to test her hypothesis, she pretended her arm began hurting.

"Ungh!" She grunted as she feigned falling. Like clockwork, Ichigo was next to her and holding her steady before she even blinked. Her plan had worked… and had some unforeseen consequences. Having his arms wrapped around her made her heart feel light and bubbly. It was as if she could feel his concern fill and encompass her very being. She smiled as she felt heat touch her cheeks and as she looked up, she felt her breath escape her lips as she stared at the worried look of Ichigo's face.

"Are you alright Kurumu?" He asked, his voice filled with concern. Kurumu stood still, only further increasing Ichigo's worry. Then, it all melted away when Kurumu looked up and stared into his eyes.

"Ichigo…" She whispered breathily. Ichigo blinked before he noticed how close they were. So close, in fact, that if he dipped his head down just a little, their lips would meet in a kiss. Ichigo licked his lips unconsciously as his eyes traced the full lips that belonged to Kurumu. His heart hammered as he realized that if he leaned in just a little bit more, her lips would no longer just be hers. They would be _his_ as well.

Shaking his head furiously, he pulled away, nearly letting Kurumu fall to ground as she caught her balance before doing so. Startled at Ichigo's sudden withdrawal, she asked in a dismayed tone, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Ichigo's suddenly loud voice rang. Kurumu flinched, but before she could do anything else, Ichigo had disappeared. She was left standing there, her heart feeling confused and betrayed.

---

'_Dammit.'_ Ichigo grumbled in his mind as he rolled in his bed. How was he supposed to look at her now? Not only had he hurt her feelings, but he had spontaneously left as well. Even Ichigo knew that suddenly leaving a girl wasn't a good thing. And yet, he had done so.

He took in a deep breath before releasing it in a long, drawn-out sigh. He stared blindly at the ceiling, not knowing what to do. He figured he could try to apologize. That would be a wise thing to do. But then what? Ichigo gritted his teeth at the tiring situation. He couldn't believe this was causing him so much trouble. He had already gone out on a date! Why should a few little words like "Hey, I like you, want to go out on a date?" be so hard to say? Then he realized what he had just thought.

He had finally admitted that he wanted to be with Kurumu. Somehow, the knowledge both eased and frustrated him even more. It eased him because he didn't have to waste time thinking about what he wanted. It frustrated him because he didn't exactly know _how_ to go about it. Not only that, but he had mucked up things between him and Kurumu surely.

"Ah!" Ichigo shouted as he sat up from his resting position. He buried his hands in his hair before letting them massage his temples, which throbbed angrily in his head. This was all seriously nuts. His thoughts momentarily paused when hunger attacked him in the form of a growl. Ichigo was a bit relieved for the respite the hunger had given him. He threw his feet over his bed, got up, and headed towards to kitchen.

He sighed when he found nothing in the cabinet, like usual. Not only that, but it was getting close to patrol time. Ichigo fought with himself for a moment. It was either go on patrol or see if the cafeteria was open. He weighed the decision carefully before going with the cafeteria idea. He didn't want to risk killing himself with his own cooking after all. And besides, as long as the barrier was in place, Hollows could never enter.

---

For the first time in a while, he smiled. Today the kitchen had incorporated human dishes. He thanked the fact that not many monsters liked fruit. This led to him being able to whisk away a couple of bags of fruits and other assorted vegetables. He left the cauliflower though, he absolutely hated the stuff. He didn't know whether it was the flavor or texture that bothered him, but either way, he wouldn't go near the stuff. He'd rather avoid it at all costs.

He paused, as he suddenly felt someone's reiatsu around him flicker and die, like a candle being blown out. The only time that ever happened was when someone died. His features became grim. Something was wrong, deeply wrong. Ichigo stretched out his sense as far as they could go, but sadly, sensory type abilities had never his stronghold. He didn't even get an echo back to tell him the general direction the disturbance had come from. A low growl escaped his throat, but he resigned to his inability to do anything about the situation. Taking one last look to see if he could catch anything, he turned and left, deep in thought.

---

The school day was over and Ichigo gulped as he stood behind the door. On the other side were undoubtedly Kurumu and the rest of the group. Since they couldn't finish their paper without Kurumu's article, they had all gone to her hospital room to finish it. So, trying to steady his shaking his hand, he reached out and twisted the knob and opened the door.

"You're late!" He was greeted with a finger to his face, courtesy of Gin who stared at him, clearly upset.

"Late for what?" Ichigo asked, not really liking the werewolf's demeanor. Though, to be honest, it did serve well to distract him from his other thoughts.

"Are you serious?" Gin scoffed and Ichigo shrugged, "You're late for our meeting!"

Ichigo scowled. "I thought we just had to do our piece in the newspaper?"

Gin slapped his forehead, letting out a weary sigh. "That's _exactly_ what I'm talking about!"

Ichigo could already feeling the annoyance and the urge to hit Gin rising. But he held back. "Then I already turned in my piece."

Gin blinked. "Really?" He asked, only receiving a pointed stare from Ichigo.

"Oh, then good for you!" Gin smiled brightly as he patted Ichigo's shoulder in congratulations. Ichigo's eyebrow twitched, his scowl deeping as he stared harshly at Gin.

Gin was oblivious.

"Hi Ichigo." Ichigo gave Gin one last glare before he turned to face Moka.

"Hey." He replied before he looked around, though, he deliberately avoided Kurumu's eyes. He was still feeling a bit bad about what had happened, and didn't want to see how Kurumu was staring at him. Luckily he didn't have to because at the moment, a nurse and a doctor walked into the room.

The blonde nurse smiled brightly at the group before her as she adjusted her round-rimmed glasses. She waved before she introduced herself. "Hello, my name is Yakumaru Mako and I'm a nurse in training, pleased to meet you!"

Everyone returned their greetings before the nurse walked over to Kurumu and lifted up the casted arm. She tested the arm, moving it around gently to see how the bone was healing. Seeing no sign of pain registering from the patient's face, she nodded and proceeded to remove the cast.

"Hoh!" She said, sounding intrigued, "You healed quite nicely! I figured it would've taken you at least one more week but…" She gestured towards the Kurumu's arm, which seemed to be in perfect condition. Kurumu smiled as she moved the arm about, noticing that nothing felt out of place.

The doctor, whose tag read Yuji Yukata, had been standing just beside the nurse, looking at his chart before he gave a nod of approval. "I too am amazed at how quickly you have healed. It's safe to say that you'll be discharged today, maybe within two hours."

"Yahoo!" Kurumu smiled as she moved her arm about, glad that it was working properly. Yup, it sure felt normal. She continued grinning before the doctor spoke up again, his voice sounding grave this time.

"Anyways, it seems you got into a dispute with that bad bunch." The doctor frowned as he continued, "You should take care of yourself. The Outcast Ayashi is an unpredictable bunch and may be hiding somewhere."

Ichigo unfolded his arms from his chest, suddenly alert. For reasons he didn't understand, the doctor's warning had felt more like a threat. Not only that, but it felt as if the doctor had been talking to _him_ personally and not just the group in general. Ichigo's eyes narrowed as he stared at the man's back, now wary of him.

"If you get attacked and hospitalized again, that'd be troublesome wouldn't it?" The doctor's voice seemed strangely neutral, but everyone else, aside from Ichigo, seemed to take his warning to heart and thought nothing of it.

Kurumu smiled, despite the warning, as she turned towards Ichigo. "I don't need to worry, I have Ichigo protecting me."

Ichigo turned his head and met her gaze as she continued smiling. "Right?"

Ichigo returned the stare, mesmerized by how gentle she was despite how he had left her. Had she forgiven him already? He gulped and stuttered out a faulty, "R-Right…."

Kurumu simply continued to smile at him as Mizore and Tsukune shared knowing looks with each other. Ruby genuinely smiled as well as she now knew who had taken his heart. Regardless, she rooted for Ichigo in her heart. Moka felt worry cross her features as her eyes shifted between them. Something had happened, and it looked like she wouldn't be gaining Ichigo's affection any time soon… or at the very least, not easily. Yukari only felt dismay since her chances of having a threesome seemed to have diminished greatly.

"Well then, we'll be on our way now. Take care!" The nurse waved at them once more before turning to leave along with the doctor.

"Alright people, it's time to get to work!" Gin ordered and before long, the group got back to work minus Mizore and Ichigo, who had already finished their pieces. Currently, newspaper club were writing about how a new group called the Outcast Ayashi had risen and were now threatening the school. However, when they weren't writing serious news, they usually wrote whatever came to mind so long it pertained to the school in some way.

Ichigo at the moment, decided to leave. As he walked out the door, he failed to notice the aching gaze Kurumu's eyes held. Though she looked happy on the outside, she was far from it in her heart. She had been glad that Ichigo had decided to come after all, even though he hadn't needed to since he was finished with his article. But he had avoided her gaze, and though she didn't want to admit it, it hurt her. Briefly she had felt some relief when he had acknowledged that he would protect her, but she could feel her smile slipping when he decided to leave the room instead of talk to her. She feared that he was regretting his decision of being so close to her and that maybe she had scared him off somehow.

She became startled when a gentle hand pressed itself on her shoulder. She turned to look up at Mizore, who was, as always, sucking on her lollipop. "Don't worry about it. Same thing happened with me and Tsukune." Though random, the kind advice Mizore offered actually helped relive the poor girl.

"Thanks." Kurumu whispered as the group in front of her continued working, obliviously to what had just transpired. Mizore simply nodded then went back to Tsukune's side, helping him out with his bad grammar and spelling errors.

Kurumu looked at the couple and smiled. The closeness between them, it was visible to all who looked at them. The way she looked into his eyes, the subtle touches and gestures, just the overall aura they gave felt like love. Kurumu sighed quietly, hoping that she and Ichigo could be like that one day. Of course, she wasn't the only one thinking that.

Moka had been deep in thought since they little charade between Ichigo and Kurumu had occurred. She bit her pencil nervously, not quite being able to focus on writing her article. There was no doubt that Kurumu and Ichigo had somehow deepened their relationship… but to what extent? She looked down at her paper, not really reading it as she continued to think, trying to think of some way to get Ichigo to look at her as well. If it came to it, Moka wouldn't mind sharing Ichigo. A light blush stained her cheeks at the thought, but it was true. Polygamy really wasn't all that uncommon in the monster world since there were relatively few in comparison to humans.

She sent a covert glance at Kurumu, who was oblivious to Moka's actions. Though they were rivals, she got the feeling that Kurumu wouldn't mind sharing. Her blush deepened at having such thoughts, but if that's the way it had to be, so be it. With that in mind, she got up from her seat and said to the group that she'd be back before leaving the room. Nobody questioned it, and resumed their work, all except for Kurumu that is. She stared at the closed door and wondered what Moka was up to.

---

Moka walked aimlessly around the hospital. She didn't think he had left, because she could sense him within close range. Curiously, she wondered if it was because she had his blood in her system. She shook her head clear of the thought, and focused more on looking for him. In her rush, she had turned a corner only to bump into someone.

"Sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!" Moka apologized as she looked up at who she had bumped into.

"You're… Akashiya Moka, right?" Moka's eyes widened when she realized it was the doctor from before… Yukata-san was it?

"Is something the matter Moka?" The doctor asked with an indecipherable look on his face.

Moka shook her head. "No, I'm just looking for Ichigo. Have you seen him?" She asked on the off-chance that he had. Now it was his turn to shake his head.

"I have not." Like before, his tone grew serious as he said, "But you should stay away from him. He's already being targeted by the Outcast Ayashi. Mingling with him might not be in your best interests… for you or your group."

Moka's eyes widened at how much he knew. "How do you know so much about that? It wasn't until recently that we realized we were even being targeted."

Moka noticed the doctor look around, and wondered why that was. Then, as if to answer her question, he beckoned her inside a room. "Come, it's not safe to discuss such information in the open. Who knows where they might be."

Moka was a bit apprehensive, but since he was a doctor, she figured it was alright. She stepped inside the room as the doctor closed the door. Then she heard a click, and turned around. The doctor had closed the door before taking a step closer to her, asking, "You want to know how I know so much?"

Moka was starting to get a bad feeling when Yukata crouched down and picked up a chair. With a wicked gleam in his eyes, he said, "Because I'm one of them!" before he slammed the chair into Moka's side. "I'm the one that's targeting you!"

Fear crept into Moka as she noticed the crazed, wide-eyed look of the doctor. It looked like as if he was possessed. Then, with realization hitting home, she stuttered, "I-It can't be… you're also part of the Outcast Ayashi?!"

The doctor licked his lips as he stared at his prey, his twisted smile frightening the girl in front of him. "Didn't I tell you before?" He muttered darkly as he stalked towards her, "That you should be more careful?"

A terrified Moka stepped back, banging into a table as she did so. She gasped when she realized that there was nowhere else to escape. To make matters worse, the crazed doctor pulled out a large needle. Moka tried to make a dash for the door, but the doctor moved rapidly and cut off her escape. Before she could turn to try to find some other exit, the doctor had lunged and grabbed her by the neck. She gasped as he squeezed, bringing the needled closer to her neck.

"Don't worry. If I inject you, you'll become very happy." His rasping voice only further fueled the image of insanity as he neared her, "Indeed, it will make you very happy… and very obedient! Just like a manipulated doll!"

He cackled as he pushed onto a counter embedded into the wall. Moka let out a pained noise as the counter's edge began digging into her back. Then, the doctor laughed a possessed laugh, "Hehehehe… after you it's going to be Ichigo-kun's turn. If I use this 'manipulation medicine' on you not a trace of evidence will remain, and I'll be able to kill him!"

Then he grinned devilishly as veins stretched beneath the skin of his face. "With your help that is." He chuckled at the horrified expression on Moka's face, "What a cruel way to kill him Moka-san, don't you agree?"

Moka continued to struggle, desperate to escape the mad man's clutches. _'I… I have to escape! I have to warn the others!'_ She thought frantically as one of her hands searched the table in desperation for something to use. Her hand wrapped around a vase. _'I have to warn everyone!'_ She picked up the vase and slammed it into the side of the doctor's head. Blood streaked down his face as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. His body fell to the floor, unconscious.

A wary Moka panted, cautious over the body on the floor. She had narrowly escaped becoming something horrible. She wasn't taking any chances. She side-stepped around the body and proceeded to move towards to door, only to find it open when the nurse from earlier walked in. It didn't occur to her how this was possible since it had been locked from the inside.

"Hello? Is anyone in here? I heard a loud noise just now." She spoke into the room, and saw the limp form of the doctor and the frightened look of the vampire girl from before. Moka looked at the nurse and felt relief flood her as she ran over to her.

"Nurse-san! Thank goodness, please help me!" Moka pleaded frantically, confusing the nurse.

"E-Eh?"

"I was attacked by the doctor," Moka told her, "He seemed to want to inject some strange medicine into me."

The nurse looked at Moka, who had looked away as she pointed at the body on the floor. "Eh?" The nurse took of her glasses before lifting up a finger, "Well that's no good."

The finger turned into a needle and before Moka realized what was going on; the nurse had moved behind her and stuck the appendage into her neck. "So that means you haven't taken your 'medicine' yet have you?" The nurse whispered quietly into her ear as Moka felt the world around her begin to fade slowly.

"That's no good, you have to listen to what the doctor says!" The nurse grinned wickedly as she plunged the needle further into Moka's neck, making her body writhe in pain, "Since it can't be helped, I'll personally inject you then… with this finger!"

"Did you know? My finger is like a syringe. If I inject my body fluids with this, those injected will become 'manipulated puppets' that do as I tell them to." Her free hand wrapped around Moka's face and made her look at the ground, "Just like that doctor."

"Ungh!" Moka continued to struggle, but it was of no use as she felt her strength disappear from her. With final realization, she now knew who was behind all of this. Sadly, it came too late as her mind faded into darkness.

Mako shed her nurse uniform as she took of her glasses and the apron around her black dress. She smiled victoriously as she gazed at Moka's unconscious form, licking her lips at the things she would make her do. Just imagining the look of horror on Ichigo's face as his 'friend' killed him was enough to nearly make her reach ecstasy.

"Yes… now it's your turn to become my 'manipulated doll' Akashiya Moka."

---

Ichigo sat on the stairs. For the past hour, he sat there just thinking. He thought about the way Kurumu had smiled at him. It really did seem like she had forgiven him. He supposed that was the only conclusion, but then that brought another problem, which seemed to be quickly become a recurrent theme: What would he do about it? He couldn't just casually walk back in a start up a conversation. No, that wasn't him. In all his life he had never been one to start a conversation easily. Though, he was easily capable of starting an argument or a fight.

Ichigo sighed. In all his life, including the fight in Las Noches, he had never been so stressed out in his life! Well, maybe that was stretching it a bit… but it really was grating his nerves. He rested his head in his hands, which were propped against his elbows. What was he going to do? Then he heard footsteps. He lifted up his eyes momentarily, waiting to see who it was. Sure enough, someone soon entered his field his vision. He was surprised to find out it was Moka… only something was wrong… very wrong. If not for the blood on her shoulder, the distant and disturbing look on her face were enough to send him on alert.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked as he stood up, making his way over to Moka. Something bright caught his eye, making him look down to see what it was. His eyes widened when he noticed Moka had a scalpel in her hand. He paused, suddenly cautious. What did she intend to do with that?

As if to answer his question, she lifted her arm up before bringing it down, intending to slice Ichigo, whose reflexes were far too fast for the slow attack and he swiftly caught Moka's wrist. He didn't want to hurt her, but he forcefully squeezed her wrist and made her let go of the weapon. "The hell is up with you Moka?" Ichigo demanded as he stared into her empty gaze.

"D…Die…Ichigo." Came her hollow reply. Those words echoed in Ichigo's mind, affecting him greatly. Why… would she say such a thing?

"_**She's being manipulated." **_His Hollow answered for him, for once being helpful to the boy.

'_What do you mean?'_ Ichigo demanded as Moka tried embedding her hand into his stomach. He caught that wrist as well and now forcefully pinned her against the wall.

"_**Yer a fucking idiot Ichigo. She's never tried to kill ya before, why start now? Something is wrong with her."**_Despite the situation, Ichigo couldn't help but be surprised at how logical his Hollow sounded. It made sense though, and it explained why her eyes seemed to be distant, like if she were somewhere else.

"Moka, wake up!" Ichigo yelled at her, not really know what else to do. "It's me, Ichigo! Wake up!"

He got a reaction, and he could see the light of life entering her eyes once again. She was greeted with an angry scowl that belonged to none other than Ichigo. "W-What happened?" She asked, waking up to this weird position. Then she recalled something… a haze. She felt something inside, something that didn't belong to her. She couldn't shake off the feeling of being a puppet being controlled by its master.

"I don't know," Ichigo began, his voice stern and serious, "but I think you tried to kill me."

Ichigo let her go and backed away as he let her mind register what he had just said. Her eyes widened as she brought a hand to her mouth. _'I tried to kill Ichigo?'_ She thought, sudden despair entering her thoughts. Is that what she had tried to do? It couldn't be…

"I…I'm sorry." She said as tears began welling up in her eyes. How could she have done such a thing? Especially to the one she cared for most. Her heart sank a bit before it was brought back up by what Ichigo said.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what to do. "Well… it's not like you could've anyway." Ichigo tried to joke, which worked slightly as Moka gave a short chuckle through the tears. It was true. Though she had been sent out by someone to do such a horrible thing… it wasn't like she could've ever succeeded. Ichigo was practically invincible.

"Y-Yea… I'd probably need a drill right?" Moka replied and Ichigo let a soft smile cross his features.

"More like a nuke." His tone was joking, but his face registered a seriousness that caught her off guard. She couldn't tell if he was joking, but if he wasn't… then he was a _lot_ stronger than anyone even realized. He really was something else, she thought with amazement.

"So, should we get back to the room? I think everyone is waiting for us." Ichigo suggested.

"Damn straight we are! What the hell are you two doing here all alone?" Gin spoke after rounding a corner. He eyed the teens suspiciously, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for an answer. Before either of them could speak, Yukari quipped up.

"Moka! Why is there blood on your shoulder?" The young witch asked with concern as she stared at the stain, then at the wound in her neck. Moka reached up to touch the spot before looking at Ichigo, as if seeking advice.

Ichigo sighed. "Alright, let's go back to the room and I'll explain everything there."

---

Kurumu had decided to stay, along with Mizore and Tsukune. Her reason to stay was because she didn't feel she had the strength to handle it if she found Moka in Ichigo's arms. She was sure that wouldn't be the case, but that little bit of doubt in her mind was enough to make her not go. The reason Tsukune stayed behind was because he was just plain behind on everything and Mizore was helping him catch up, though, she did offer some more advice to Kurumu from time to time.

The door opened and Ichigo, Gin, Yukari, and a bloodied Moka poured in. Everyone seemed to have varying looks of concern on their faces. "What's wrong?" Kurumu asked, hoping to get an answer.

Gin was about to speak up, but Ichigo cut him off as he raised a hand in front of the werewolf. "Alright, everyone sit down." Everyone did as they were told and took residence in the chairs as they surrounded Kurumu's bed in a semi-circle, with Ichigo standing next to the head of her bed.

"So what's going on?" Gin asked, still waiting for an answer.

Ichigo looked at everyone in front of him, and knew they would take this the wrong way if he didn't explain things first. "Before I tell you anything, make sure to not blow this out of proportion."

"Why do you say that?" Tsukune replied questioningly.

Ichigo sighed. "Because Moka tried to do something, but she hadn't been in control of her body at the time. She was being manipulated." She explained to not just Tsukune, but to the group as well. Kurumu didn't really like where this was going, especially if it had anything to do with the blood on Moka's shoulder.

"Alright already, get on with it!" Gin badgered, annoying the Shinigami who tried to keep calm.

Ichigo took in a breath before letting it out, calming his nerves. Knowing he was level-headed now, he replied, "Moka tried to kill me."

Everyone in the room gasped and chaos ensued.

"She tried to kill you?!" Yukari, Gin, and Kurumu's voice all echoed around him, piercing his already tired and weary mind. Moka flinched at the accusations that began flying, mainly from Kurumu. But Ichigo, having no patience, yelled at them, including Kurumu.

"SHUT UP!" He growled and managed to quiet the group down. While this was happening, Mizore and Tsukune both took down notes in their special "Ichigo's Romance" notebooks.

"Like I said, it was just an accident. She had no control of her body." He reiterated, hoping to get the message across. Everyone quieted down, but for some reason he felt like Kurumu still wasn't pleased. Given the way Kurumu was looking at Moka, he figured that was the case. Still, as long as nothing happened, it was alright. There were more pressing matters to discuss.

"So, who do you think did this?" Gin said as he struck a thoughtful pose. Everyone sweat-dropped as he tried to look like he was taking this seriously. They knew he just wanted the attention.

Ichigo shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't seen anyone else from the Outcast Ayashi since I fought Midou." Everyone thought about this, each trying to figure out what was going on. Moka shifted nervously in her seat beneath the stare Kurumu was sending her. She was about to say something before her attention was brought back to Gin, who spoke up.

"Did anyone notice how the doctor knew we were being targeted, even though we just found out ourselves?" Gin offered, and this sent light-bulbs off in everyone's head.

"I did feel something strange coming from him." Ichigo added, earning everyone's attention, "Something was wrong with him… it made my instincts react."

"His movements were unnatural." Mizore spoke up, catching the group by surprise. "After spending years stalking people, I became aware of how natural movements looked from unnatural ones. The way the doctor had walked was definitely unnatural… almost like if he were moving against his will."

Everyone couldn't help but sweat-drop at the fact that Mizore had openly admitted her stalker behavior, but her logic seemed solid. If she indeed knew what she was talking about, then it meant that the doctor might've been under control from the same person that controlled Moka. Suddenly Moka clutched her head, groaning as a sharp pain filled her head.

"What's wrong Moka?" Gin was quick to be at her side. This annoyed Ichigo a bit, but now was not the time to point out the werewolf's behavior.

"S-Something… I'm remembering." She continued to clutch her head, straining to catch the memory that was desperately trying to evade her grasp. "The… The doctor. I remember that he was on the floor...AH!" She yelled out again as the pain intensified.

Though worried, Ichigo still had to ask, "Do you remember where?"

He waited for an answer as Moka seemed to be fighting something. He saw how hard she was trying and hoped that she could remember something important. "I can feel it." She spoke out through the pain, "Something… important. Just a little more…"

Moka continued to struggled, and everyone waited with apprehension on their faces. Kurumu looked at the pink-haired Vampire and wondered. Was she trying hard to solve the mystery? Or was she trying hard to help Ichigo? She bit her lip nervously as she chanced a glance at Ichigo, who seemed wrapped up in this little event just like everyone else. His eyes were firm, waiting patiently for Moka. She suddenly caught herself. Why was she feeling so doubtful of Ichigo's feelings all of a sudden? Clearly he felt something for her, seeing the way he had acted yesterday. She sighed as she realized that the shock of him suddenly leaving her had a greater impact than she first thought. She really shouldn't worry. Mizore had told her that Ichigo was just having a tough time dealing with his feelings now that he realized what they were. With that in mind, she firmly told herself that she'd wait for him, no matter how long it took! Though… sooner _would_ be better.

The end of her thoughts came just in time as Moka something recalled something. "I know! It was the nurse… the one who was here earlier! She did this to me! She's one of the Outcast Ayashi!"

Before anyone had a chance to ask her if she was sure, Ichigo had already left the room.

---

Ichigo used a rapid series of Shunpo, checking each room to make sure it was clear. That's when he noticed that, for a hospital, it was surprisingly empty. Besides a few people with fractures, there were hardly any people. And it seemed as if many of the rooms had been recently cleared, judging from the smell of bleach and cleaning material that entered his nose. Something fishy was definitely up, and he was going to find out!

Suddenly he heard a scream come down from below, on floor down. Quickly he rushed down the stairs, making good use of Shunpo. In less than a couple of seconds, he was in the hallway near the receptions area. He paused as he looked down. Multiple bodies littered the floor. His features grew dark as he walked on the blood-slicked floor before turning his head. Standing in the wide, adjacent hallway stood the nurse Moka had talked about. Her hands were extended and from her fingers stretched long tendrils that formed a point at the end, like a syringe.

"Ahh, nice to see you Ichigo-kun." She smiled sweetly at him as she walked towards him, "I am happy that you came intentionally. It saves me the trouble from having to call you here." Her tendrils slithered up and around her body, almost as if they had a will of their own.

"I am from the Outcast Ayashi, Yakumaru Mako." She introduced herself as she sent Ichigo a carnal smile that made him take a step back, "As per the organization's orders, I came to eliminate you."

Ichigo reached for his back, only to realize that he didn't have Zangetsu… again. He was going to have to glue his sword to his back if he kept on forgetting like this! Now was not the time to ponder his actions as one of the bodies moved and reached for his leg, grabbing him.

"What the hell?" Ichigo yelled out, startled by the creepiness of it more so than actually being caught.

"Like I said, I can't let you escape." She licked her lips when even more bodies rose from the g round and reached with their hands to grab the boy.

'_Crap! What do I do?'_ He thought with frustration. If these bodies were just being controlled, he couldn't just slam them in to a wall. What if he hurt them? Some of the bodies were already mangled as they were, adding more damage could be fatal.

He heard the sinister laugh of Mako echo within the hallway, making him scowl at how she could be so uncaring of the lives of these people. Anger bloomed in his heart, and he swore he would stop her.

"Now it's time to make you my puppet Ichigo-kun!" She smiled derisively as she sent one of her snake-like syringes towards her opponent. Shock took over her features when the attack merely bounced harmlessly of his skin. Ichigo smirked.

"H-How?" She demanded as she took a step back, almost shocked beyond words.

"Simple. Your intel sucks. You know nothing about me." He replied in a bemused tone. Mako growled in frustration as she sent _all_ of her needles and pointed them at his neck. Like before, there was no effect as they simply slid off his skin.

"What? Are you trying to tickle me or something?" Ichigo taunted, hoping to get her mad. It worked as Mako's eyes widened with a crazed look in them.

"You… I'm going to kill you!" She screamed as she instructed the bodies to do her bidding. The bodies holding him let go, which was a big mistake. Mako charged, fully intending to impale Ichigo with all her strength, but before she even had a chance to make it halfway, Ichigo was already behind her.

"Bad move." He simply said as he sent a chop to the back of her neck. Her body went limp and she fell to the floor, unconscious. He bent down to make sure she wouldn't be waking up soon before getting up. He took a moment to gaze around the room, making sure there were no enemies, before trailing his eyes down at the floor.

He let out a relieved sigh as he looked at the bodies. Though there was blood, it seemed the wounds were only superficial. Groans began filling the air as people got up, feeling sick and nauseated. Thankfully, and to Ichigo's relief, all of them woke up, though, many stayed on the floor from injuries obtained before the "injection."

Then he heard footsteps, most likely the newspaper group. They came down in a rush and were greeted by the sight of people getting up from a bloodied floor and Ichigo, who stood over Mako's body. "What… happened?" Kurumu asked as she looked around. Others shared similar looks of shock and concern.

"Moka was right. The nurse had been one of the Outcast Ayashi." Then he gestured towards Mako's fingers, which still remained in their elongated forms, "She used her fingers like needles and used them to control people with 'injections.'"

"That's right." Moka agreed, "She said that she used her body fluids to control people after injecting them."

Everyone became grossed out by that. Still, it seemed like everything was taken care of. Gin walked over to a phone and dialed an emergency crew to help with the patients while the rest of the group stayed wth Ichigo. "So, how'd you beat her?" Yukari asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

Ichigo shrugged. "She got mad and I won." His simple explanation caused everyone to stare at him blankly. He sighed as he went into a deeper explanation, "She used the people to hold me down. I couldn't do anything since they were holding me and I didn't want to hurt them. So, I said some stuff to get her mad. She made her 'puppets' let go and she attacked me. Once they let me go I moved behind her and knocked her out."

Kurumu smiled at Ichigo. "Yup, I knew she wouldn't be able to take you down!" She said as Ichigo stared at her. She was still smiling at him… so, that meant everything was okay, right? Tentatively, he tried returning the smile and was rewarded with a slap on the back.

"Now's not the time to be flirting Ichigo." Gin said, making the boy flush red with embarrassment and Kurumu giggle, "The help team is about to arrive and we need to help these people to their feet, especially the more injured ones." Then he turned and looked at everyone else, "So that means hurry up and get moving!"

Everyone scurried away… except for Ichigo and Kurumu. The held each other's gaze, unsaid feelings passing between their eyes. Ichigo looked at her soft features and knew what he had to do. Taking in a breath, he said, "I'm sorry… Kurumu. For… earlier."

Kurumu gave a light gasp at the sudden apology, but then she smiled radiantly as a blush stained her cheeks. "It's no problem Ichigo." She replied quietly, her blush deepening at how deeply he was looking at her. Then, she felt as if the blush had extended throughout her body when he sent her a relaxed smile.

Suddenly feeling bold that she had forgiven him, he felt himself say, "Would you… like to go out on a date tomorrow?"

Both teens felt heir heart race as soon as those words escaped his lips. Before Kurumu could reply though, Gin yelled at them.

"Hurry up!" He hollered, urging them to help out. Feeling it was time to go; Ichigo turned, but not before hearing Kurumu call out her answer.

"Sure, I'd love to." She replied as she turned around and both went to help.

Neither saw the wide smile on each other's faces.


	27. Kurumu

**The next few chapters might be off. I've been feeling funny lately, but I'm not sick, which is weird. It's like everything around me is fuzzy… but I can't tell if that's a good or bad thing. Too much studying I guess since finals are coming up. Ah well, hope ya'll enjoy this!**

**P.S. I also threw in a quote from a Pink Floyd. If you can guess it, I'll give you an Italian cookie! Though I can't say it'll make it through the mail safely. Actually it might not even make it to the post office. I might end up eating it… but hey, it's the thought that counts right?**

**X X X X X X X X X X X**

"Are you happy today Ichigo?" Moka asked curiously, not seeing a scowl on his face.

Ichigo turned to her as they continued walking to class. "What makes you say that?" He asked.

"Well," She began, "for one, you're not scowling. Second, your aura is much smoother."

'_My aura is smoother?'_ He wondered about that for a moment before saving the thought for later.

"So," Moka folded her hands in front of her as she asked, "Would you like to tell me?"

Ichigo stared curiously at the pink-haired Vampire and immediately knew what this was about. It didn't seem she knew what exactly happened, but judging by the way she was fidgeting; he figured she did understand something had happened between him and Kurumu. Ichigo sighed. He knew he was going to have to tell her eventually… he just didn't honestly think it'd be this soon. Well, no sense in putting off the inevitable.

"The reason I'm happy is because I asked K-Kurumu out on a d-date. Ehm." Ichigo coughed to clear his throat. He didn't expect a stutter to come out and was then caught off-guard when Moka giggled. She couldn't help it. Despite the fact that it wasn't her he was with, she couldn't help but laugh at how funny his nervousness was. He looked cute.

Moka looked ahead and noticed the building fast approaching. So it was true, they were together now. It was odd, because she didn't feel quite as bad as she'd thought she would. Maybe it was because there was still hope, even if it was another path. She stepped in front of him, confusing the boy, before she gave him a genuine smile.

"I give you my best wishes, for you and Kurumu." Moka said, earning a small smile from the Shinigami. She continued as she raised a finger into the air, "I'm not going to give up however! Even if it comes to it… I wouldn't mind s-sharing you with Kurumu if she's alright with it."

Quickly she turned around, her face feeling as if it was on fire, and headed to the school building as quickly as she could, leaving behind a stunned Kurosaki Ichigo.

"W-What?!" Ichigo yelled to no one in particular, thought he did get a reply.

"_**Way to go kingy, way to go."**_

"_Shut it!"_

It was time for lunch, and Ichigo fidgeted nervously. While Moka, Tsukune, Yukari, and Mizore chatted, he was waiting for Kurumu to appear from the cafeteria's door. Currently they were eating outside, like usual, and were having a gray lump that, much to Ichigo's displeasure, seemed to be _looking_ at him despite having no visible eye.

"So what do you think Ichigo?" Said person turned his head at hearing his name mentioned.

"Huh?"

"What do you think about the Outcast Ayashi?" Tsukune repeated to the distracted boy.

"Nothing much." Was his honest opinion. What could he say? That they posed a threat when they really didn't? His dad posed more of a threat than the Outcast Ayashi. Ichigo unconsciously shivered… yea… definitely much more of a threat.

"As expected of Ichigo!" Yukari beamed as she smiled at Ichigo. "I can't wait until we have a threesome!"

As always, this left the group, and mainly Ichigo, bewildered. What made the situation all the more awkward was a few people passing by had heard this and stared at Ichigo, who scowled at them, making them retreat quickly.

"Yukari…" Ichigo said with a sigh. He really should've explained it thoroughly earlier that no matter what, she would _never_ get a threesome… ever… and that girls her age shouldn't even be _thinking_ about such mature topics. Hell, he couldn't even imagine if Yuzu or Karin brought up that topic. He'd probably flip!

"What?" She said innocently, not really understanding how her words affected everyone around her.

"We're not going to have a threesome… _ever_." He punctuated at the end, hoping he got his meaning across.

"W-What do you mean?" Yukari asked, shocked and horrified. Ichigo hung his head. Somehow she just didn't seem to get it. Before he could reply, he was interrupted as Kurumu placed her tray next to him and replied for him.

"What he means is that you're too young to be thinking of things like that!" She told the younger girl as Ichigo sat still, a sudden nervousness overcoming him. His eyes flickered towards her momentarily before looking back at his "meal."

"Why not! I love Ichigo and Moka!" She countered as she stuck out her bottom lip. Kurumu simply shook her head as she sat down.

"You'll get it when you're more mature." She simply said before turning to Ichigo.

"Hey, how are you?" Kurumu asked gently as she gave him a timid smile. This caused a strange reaction within Ichigo, as he felt time around him slow down for a moment while his heart thudded against his chest. He pulled away from her look for a moment, not noticing the smile on her face begin to slip.

Everyone then became surprised when Ichigo suddenly got up, tray in hand as he returned his gaze to Kurumu, and asked, "Want to eat somewhere in private?"

Kurumu's mouth hung open for a bit before she closed it and replied, "S-Sure, where?"

Ichigo blinked, unsure of what to do. He looked around for a moment before his eyes drifted back to Kurumu. "Umm…" He paused, looking at her expectant face, "Let's wing it?" He offered as she blinked at him before a smile crossed her face.

"Sure." She then got up, with her tray, and both teens walked away leaving behind to rest of the newspaper group to mull over what had just transpired.

"That was weird." Tsukune said to the group, who simply nodded.

They walked in silence, neither teen speaking from a certain nervousness that seemed to surround them like a cloak. Finally after a silent trek, they stopped atop a small hill that gave them a decent view of the surrounding area.

It was Ichigo who broke the silence as he stared up at the sky and said, "Man, this would've been perfect if there was an actual sky here."

"Would you like me to set up another illusion Ichigo?" She immediately offered, glad that the silence was out of the way.

He simply shook his head. "It's alright."

Kurumu tapped her fingers nervously underneath the tray that she still held. "I can if that's what you want Ichigo. I mean, I'll do it since it's important to you and I wa—" She was cut off when Ichigo stopped her nervous chatter by raising his hand in front of her.

Then he sent her an unexpected smile that seemed to want to make her melt. "We're both nervous." He stated softly as he looked at her with brown and mild eyes.

At this very moment, if Ichigo asked her to dance like a monkey, she probably would from the power his gaze held over her. She could feel heat radiate from her and touch her cheek, staining it a light pink. "We should probably sit down." Ichigo then sat down and patted the area next to him. Kurumu took the hint and sat down as well and both placed their tray in front of them.

"You don't seem nervous." She commented as she noticed that his face seemed to radiate a kind of peace.

"I am." He replied, earning a quizzical look from the bluenette, "but for some reason it's easier to handle when there's no one around."

Hearing this, Kurumu got a naughty thought as she felt her anxiety melt away. She leaned into him, earning Ichigo's attention before she purred in his ear. "Could it be because you want to do _something_ with me when no one else is around?" Her sensual tone sent shivers down Ichigo's spine as he tensed.

"N-No!" He immediately replied, red in the ears as Kurumu pulled away with a laugh. Then Ichigo knew what had happened.

"You're making fun of me aren't you?" He stated flatly with an equally flat look.

Kurumu acted innocent as she said, "What do you mean? All I said was that you wanted to do something with me. I never said _what _though. You're the one with the mind in the gutter!" She looked at him coyly and noticed that he was not giving her the benefit of the doubt. She giggled at his look, earning a shake of the head from the boy before she decided to change the subject since she was curious about something.

"Hey Ichigo."

"What?"

She shifted a bit nervously, wondering how to say the next part. "Why… what made you ask me out?"

Ichigo blinked as the tension he had from earlier now returned with a vengeance, coiling at the pit of his stomach and making him feel as if he had a brick in his gut. He turned to look away from her as he scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well," He started, but didn't continue.

He simply continued to stare out into nothingness before he turned back to Kurumu, who was looking at him with round and expectant eyes that made him realize just how cute she was. And, now that they were all alone, he could smell a smooth and sweet fragrance enter his nose. It was the scent of Kurumu and it did wonders to him as he started loosening up his collar to let some heat escape. Kurumu, however, was still waiting for an answer, but wasn't pushing for one.

Finally, after a breath, he continued where he left off. "Well, I was in my bed thinking." He paused to look at Kurumu, only to look away when she leaned forward, making her breasts stand out. Not only that, but she was now on her knees and hands, which seemed to add a sensuality that made Ichigo's face light up like a Christmas tree as she waited with a beating heart for his answer

"I-I was in my bed thinking about something Tsukune had told me earlier." He continued, his head still looking away since he didn't want to risk sudden combustion from Kurumu's sensual pose.

"What did he say?" Kurumu interrupted, her curiosity growing ever more.

Ichigo continued, still trying to ignore her pose. "He said that he thought that I did like you. He said that he had been in the same boat I was." A small smile touched his lips as he said, "Then I spent the night thinking… after the incident where I left you…" Ichigo paused, still feeling a bit regretful at having done such a thing. Kurumu noticed this as she kneeled next to him and brought a hand to his face, making him look at her.

"I forgive you, you know that right?" She looked deeply into his eyes, showing the care she held for him. Ichigo returned the stare and gave a slightly lopsided grin.

"Yea, I guess you're right." He admitted and she smiled as she let him go, sitting with her legs tucked beneath her and facing him.

"So, are you going to finish?" She asked, still immensely curious as to how he ended up choosing her.

Ichigo had to take another deep breath for this, but all in all, was much more relaxed. "After the incident, I felt bad and started thinking about why it was so hard to… admit my feelings." He murmured out the last part, making Kurumu shake her heard with a mirthful smile before he continued, "Then I realized that if I was admitting my feelings, then it meant I… well… liked you."

Ichigo paused to let it sink in, but when Kurumu made no reply, he turned to her and was surprised to find stars in her eyes as a faint, pink blush graced her cheeks. "You acted so cute right now! You were all shy! Aww…" Kurumu gushed and Ichigo gave her a look that was between questioning and bewildered.

"Thanks… I guess." Ichigo leaned backwards when Kurumu leaned forwards. "W-What?" He asked when Kurumu sent him a furtive smile, and, before he could react, she kissed his cheek making the boy go red in the face. Kurumu noticed this and despite her own heart beating wildly in her chest, she tuck out her tongue playfully. Ichigo turned even redder when the sudden urge to lick it almost overwhelmed him.

As she pulled away, her features took on a calm and peaceful look as she took his arm and pressed it between her chest. Ichigo was about to state a complaint about her teasing when she rested her forehead on his shoulder and gave a pleasant sigh.

"I'm glad you chose me." The soft sincerity he heard in her voice made him retract his complaint, though, he was still very much aware of where his arm was.

"No problem." He replied with a smile before he hesitantly reached out and stroked her hair. He saw her tense at the touch and was about to pull away when her voice called out to him.

"Don't stop." She pleaded when she felt his hand move away. Ichigo obliged and continued stroking her gently. As he continued, he realized he was doing it more because he enjoyed it rather than because she had asked. He enjoyed the soft feel of her hair, and the gentle noises that would escape her lips occasionally. He could picture a small smile on her face as he did this, which brought one to his face as well. Again, her scent made its way to his nose as his heart drummed within his chest. His stroking slowed as a strange courage steeled itself within him before he leaned his head in and placed an abrupt kiss on the top of her head. The girl that held his arm only increased her grip and for a moment, Ichigo thought he would lose his arm. Then he heard a murmur come from her and he struggled to hear what she had said.

"What?" Ichigo asked as he leaned in closer.

Kurumu nudged her forehead against his shoulder and spoke up a bit louder. "Finally." She said.

Ichigo blinked, then chuckled. Kurumu heard this and took a peek at her Destoned One to ask, "What's so funny?"

"Tsukune told me that was exactly what Mizore told him when the first kissed." He replied as Kurumu looked up fully and he saw a peculiar smile cross her lips.

"They kissed on the lips though right?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yea, why?" He asked, but then immediately knew from the intense way she was looking at him. "Y-You want to kiss me?" His face flushed when Kurumu's violet eyes did not turn away, gazing at him with strong feelings.

"After all those missed times… a girl can only wait so long Ichigo." She breathed, want clearly evident in her tone as she kissed his shoulder before steadily moving upwards.

That's when Ichigo felt it.

It was a sudden, capturing feeling that latched onto his heart. This new feeling rushed through him like a torrential wave and threatened to burst from him if he didn't alleviate soon. His heart pounded madly against his chest when her soft lips reached his neck, tickling it with a pleasurable sensation. Her passion was evident in the way she sensually brushed her lips up his neck before kissing along his jaw line.

Before he knew it, he found himself cupping Kurumu's face gently, taking in her loving gaze for a brief moment before he gave her a kiss that left her breathless.


	28. Kiss

**Nobody got my Pink Floyd quote… this is very depressing. In case anyone is actually wondering, it's from the album "The Final Cut." It's the album I've listened to most since I started listening to it since I was 5. Anyways, onto the story!**

**If part of the dialogue sounds choppy, it's because of the manga. It could be just me, but it didn't seem to flow properly. Ah well.**

**X X X X X X X X X X**

The kiss wasn't anything fancy, but it still sent Kurumu soaring. Finally, after waiting for so long, her heart's desire finally turned his eyes towards her and gave her his heart. It didn't matter if he was inexperienced. In fact, the innocent kiss only spurred on her love for the boy since it showed how honest his heart was. And as he pulled away, bliss stayed present on her features as her eyelids remained closed, enjoying the sound of her heart beating in her ears and the feelings that came along with it.

To him… the kiss was much more than he had expected. All the emotions swirling had burst out and transferred to the kiss. The feelings he had been unconsciously holding back flowed freely now, released from its confines as it swept the love-struck boy away. Even the dismal sky, which floated over them, didn't seem so dark anymore. Warmth filled him as he pulled back, staring at the blissful girl in front of him. Her eyes were closed peacefully as her cheeks held a shade of light pink that brought out her gentle beauty.

Curiously, and with a still rapidly beating heart, he lifted a shaky finger and brought it to the girl's lips. Her eyes snapped open as she felt the touch, and looked on at Ichigo's fixed gaze. She could feel his eyes roaming her face, and stop at her lips. Her already beating heart drummed inside of her, waiting for whatever it was Ichigo was thinking of doing.

She didn't wait long as Ichigo crashed her lips against hers. Her arms went limp, falling to the side as he administered the long and sweet kiss. The rampant emotions controlled his body, not that she minded. In fact, she was immensely enjoying the feelings of his lips, the way she could feel his love, and the way they cupped her face… it was all perfect for her.

As he pulled away, she only had one thing to say. "Wow…"

"Huh…" Kurumu looked through lidded eyes and saw Ichigo was completely out of it. She smiled serenely as she scooted forward to give him a hug, which was returned by an absent-minded Ichigo. They both stayed like that for a minute, basking in each other's warmth as they let the torrential emotions inside of them simmer down.

Ichigo finally snapped out of it and became aware that the girl he had kissed was now in his arms. He should've felt nervous, but after the kiss, there was nothing left inside except happiness and peace, like something had been calmed down within him. He stroked her back gently, making a pleased sigh escape from Kurumu's lips. His heart skipped a beat at the sound, but he continued and was rewarded with more of those tender sighs as his girlfriend, which he just realized now was, tightened the hug ever so slightly.

"I think this is the best moment of my life." She murmured into his chest, which tickled him a bit.

"I think it's mine too." He grinned when Kurumu buried her face in his chest. This endearing action sent another wave flowing through him as he kissed the top of her head, which caused her to giggle.

"You really like doing that don't you?" She asked happily. His response was another kiss on her head, which elicited another giggle from the extremely content girl.

"I guess I do." They stayed in each other's arms, neither wanting to move. Ichigo, having never felt this way, was still reveling in the sensations from the earlier kiss. His face took on a cheerful look as an uncharacteristic grin was plastered on his face, which he didn't know was there.

"You're grinning!" Kurumu exclaimed as she stared at the look on Ichigo's face.

"No I'm not." He argued, still not realizing that he actually was.

"Yes you are!" She persisted as she brought a finger and traced his grin. "See?"

Ichigo tentatively touched the corners of his mouth and realized that she was telling the truth. "Huh…"

"Yup! I'm glad you're grinning though… it means you really liked what happened." She told him with a wink. Ichigo looked away a bit as he felt the tips of his ears go red, yet again.

"I… did." He admitted embarrassingly enough. This earned a kiss on the cheek from his happy girlfriend. He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, and could not get enough of that look she was giving him. All the care and emotion he could see in her eyes made him feel _really_ good about himself. He was, without a doubt, glad that he had done this!

He then brought himself to look at her round and shining violet eyes only to see her smile at him. He returned the smile before he realized something. "Hey, where do you want to go out on a date?" He asked as he remembered his promise to her.

"Your bed?" She teased, earning a furious blush from the boy in front of her.

"Come on! I'm being serious here!" He yelled half-heartedly.

'_So was I.'_ Kurumu thought, but didn't say it for fear that Ichigo would not be able to handle it and suddenly explode. After all, no one's face should be able to get that red!

"Hmm. I don't really mind… as long as you kiss me again." She whispered in a tone that sent chills down his spine.

"A-Alright." He agreed before he was suddenly surprised with a quick meeting of lips. She pulled away and smiled happily at him.

"I don't think I'll ever get enough of this." She said before she took another kiss away from the stunned Shinigami. "I think you liked that." She teased, despite having a blush of her own staining her cheeks.

But as natural law dictated, all good things must come to an end as they heard the chime go off in the distance. Ichigo, with a dumbfounded look, stared in the general direction of the sound before turning to his girlfriend and saying, "I think… we should… head back."

She smirked. "It doesn't seem like you want to." She noticed his eyes widen slightly before he looked away.

"Well… I don't," He admitted, "But we can't miss any class."

Kurumu searched his face, finding it adorably cute how he hesitated at admitting he enjoyed his time with her. Things were definitely looking up!

"I guess you're right." She said as she looked to the side and noticed the untouched food. "Looks like we didn't eat anything, did we?"

Ichigo looked at the dishes and gave a small smile. "Yea, we didn't."

After that, they picked up their trays and began to make their way back. Kurumu looked to her side, hoping she could hold hands with her Destined One. But it seemed she would have to wait since both his hands were occupied with the tray.

* * *

The rest of the day went by relatively quickly for a certain orange-haired boy. For the first time in his life, he had been unfocused in class and had actually missed a few questions his teachers had asked him. Though, even after the embarrassment, it seemed he hadn't learned his lesson as he continued to think about the kiss. He thought about how soft her lips were, how their fullness felt really nice against his own. He could almost smell her sweet fragrance wherever he walked. Ichigo was on cloud 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.

Classes finally ended and Ichigo was ready to get out. Of course, as he walked out of the classroom, he realized he had to go to the newspaper room for club activities. He sighed, but then realized Kurumu would be there. This lone thought was enough to get his heart started as his pace increased ever so slightly.

Once there, he entered the room and was surprised to find that Kurumu wasn't there yet. For that matter, neither was Moka. "Where's Kurumu?" Ichigo asked, trying to keep the concern from his voice and keep his tone as neutral as possible.

"Relax Ichigo, we already know you and Kurumu already kissed." Tsukune said off-handedly, surprising the Shinigami.

"H-How?" Ichigo asked amazed.

"What else would you two do alone? You haven't reached last base after all." He simply replied, earning a confused look from Ichigo.

"What?"

Mizore elbowed her boyfriend who quickly covered up his earlier statement. "N-Nothing! Anyways, Moka suddenly pulled Kurumu up and went to talk to her."

"Oh." Ichigo couldn't keep the disappointment from his tone, which brought smiles to Tsukune and Mizore's faces. Gin simply quirked an eyebrow at the boy's behavior.

"Get to work Ichigo. There's no time to waste, we have a paper to keep up after all!" Gin then ushered the boy into a chair. Ichigo took one last look at the door, and decided that he might as well do some work.

* * *

"So what do you want Moka?"

Moka clasped her hands in front of her as she bit her bottom lip. She glanced at the Succubus before looking down at the floor again, thinking of how to say what she wanted. Instead, this came out, "D-Did you guys kiss?"

A faraway look crossed Kurumu's features, telling Moka all she needed to know. "Yea… it was absolutely amazing." Kurumu sighed as she wrapped her arms around herself, reminiscing what it felt like to be held by Ichigo. For a moment she swore she smelled his manly scent.

This brought a sad smile to Moka's features as she gazed at the blissful look on her rival's face. "Was it that good?"

Kurumu shook her head. "It was _better_."

"I see."

Kurumu snapped out of her daze at hearing Moka's dismal tone. "What's the matter?" She asked as she noticed Moka looking a bit downcast as well.

Again Moka bit her lip as she tried summoning enough courage to ask the question on her mind. Looking up, she decided to get it over with, like ripping off a band-aid. "I was wondering if you would share Ichigo with me!" She rapidly shot out before covering her mouth. There, she had said it. Now she awaited the response of the stunned Succubus.

Kurumu shook herself out of her stupor after a few seconds as she gave Moka a look as if she had grown an extra head. "Did you just ask me I if I was willing to share Ichigo?" She repeated, making sure she had heard correctly. When the nod came, she still couldn't believe it.

Before she could form an opinion, an unexpected visitor spoke up. "Why yes, I do believe that is what she asked." Both girls immediately turned around to find the source of the voice. There, leaning against a tree and reading a book, stood a boy with a distinctly pretty-boy face with not a care in the world.

"Who are you?" Both Moka and Kurumu questioned as the boy closed his book. He turned to them with a pleasant and curios look on his face as he replied.

"Nice to meet you, I am from the Outcast Ayashi, Yoshi Kiria. Please treat me well Moka-chan, Kurumu-chan!" Both girls took defensive stances, preparing for any attack. Kiria simply continued staring at them, his rectangular slitted eyes looking at them with intense curiosity. That's when the girls noticed his right eye was slit flatly while his left one was slit vertically, which made them wonder what kind of Youkai he was.

Suddenly he was no longer there and both girls struggled to find where he went. It wasn't until a voice spoke up and Kurumu felt something pressing against her back when they knew where he was. "Don't get me wrong," He said, his back to Kurumu's, "after Midou-kun and Mako-san, it's probably impossible for you to believe me."

Both girls paused when they felt some energy released. It wasn't a lot, but it was definitely powerful. Kiria looked at Moka out of the corner of his eye, his semi-smile still present on his face as he warned them, "But don't get me wrong. If I actually felt like it, I can immediately kill you guys ya know?"

Kurumu turned around to take a swing at him. Like before though, he simply whisked away as if he had never been there. Now he had a smile on his lips as he said, "Right now I don't feel like it. I prefer seeing how this will all turn out. That's why I'm giving you guys a chance."

His half-smile came back, but his eyes held a new seriousness that wasn't present before. "That means, if you can entertain me, I'll let you guys off the hook." He offered and saw the girls narrow their eyes at him. He turned his eyes towards Moka, who was a bit surprised by the sudden shift in attention, before turning back to Kurumu.

"Now since I know you have a date planned with Ichigo," He said, causing Kurumu to gasp, "I'll leave you alone for today."

Then he turned around and proceeded to go away, but not without saying one last thing as he looked over his shoulder and said, "I'll be back here tomorrow. I expect the both of you to give me some entertainment. Oh, and don't bother telling Ichigo or any of the others. I'll know if you do, and I'll gladly take care of them before Ichigo has a chance to do anything about it."

Then, in one moment, Kiria winked out of existence, leaving two pondering girls who looked at each other for answers.

* * *

"Where have you guys been?!" Gin asked as the two girls entered the room, "We don't have time for this! We need to publish a paper every week and we can't do that if you two keep taking breaks."

Kurumu gave him an angry look as she replied, "Well excuse me Gin-sempai! I don't see you doing any work at all."

Gin simply waved it off as he gave his trademark shining smile. "I'm the sempai; I don't have to do any work!" Suddenly his eyes leered towards Kurumu, who felt a bad feeling creep up her spine.

"However," He began with a lecherous smile as he looked at Kurumu's generous chest, "I'm willing to help some for a little, or should I say, _big_ incentive."

Kurumu got the hint almost immediately and covered her chest with one arm as she proceeded to punch the werewolf in the face, knocking him back. "Perverted wolf!" She shouted at the unconscious, yet smiling Gin. Everyone around simply sweat-dropped.

After that little incident was over, Moka and Kurumu proceeded to sit down, the latter sitting next to Ichigo and the former sitting across from him. Like before, Mizore and Tsukune couldn't help but smile when Ichigo and Kurumu gave each other bashful looks. Still, one could definitely tell they were closer than before as they sat nearly shoulder to shoulder, occasionally stealing glances at each other as they worked on the newspaper.

Yukari looked up, not really understanding what was going on. The smile that crossed Kurumu's face, the slight grin on Ichigo's, the knowing smiles of Tsukune and Mizore all left her confused. She didn't know what was going on, but when she looked at Ichigo and Kurumu, she had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was as if something had happened and no one had told her. She decided to find out.

"Did something happen?" She asked, directing the question to Ichigo and Kurumu.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked. Yukari thought she saw something on Ichigo that wasn't normal. After a moment of thinking, she came to realize that nothing was _on_ Ichigo per se, but rather, something was _missing _from Ichigo's face. And that certain thing was his scowl.

She pointed a tiny finger at him as she gasped, "You're not scowling!"

This, in turn, caused him to scowl. "What's the big deal if I'm not scowling? Is it really that strange?" His voice growled, causing everyone but Kurumu, who was smiling, to become wary of the ill-tempered boy.

"It's true though." Kurumu told her boyfriend, who turned to look at her questioningly. "It's very rare to see you without a scowl."

Ichigo blinked and merely turned away. "Hmph." He pouted, which caused Kurumu to blush at how cute he was acting.

"There there," She said as she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, which caused his ears to turn red despite still having a scowl on his face, "It's alright Ichigo. They're just asking questions is all."

"Y-You kissed him!" Yukari gaped. Kurumu sent the girl a grin and in that instant, Yukari knew _exactly_ what was going on.

"You guys are DATING!" Her voice rose at the end, causing everyone to wince at the loudness. "No way…" The young witch sank into her chair, a disbelieving look on her face.

"It's… true." Ichigo muttered, but everyone heard. Kurumu's heart fluttered at this. This meant that he was comfortable around her, even if he looked a bit nervous. This truly was a wonderful day for her!

"Then… does this mean…" Everyone stared at the dismal-looking Yukari, who was still low in her chair. Slowly, she lifted up her head and met the gazes of everyone present. "Does this mean I won't get to have a threesome with you and Moka?"

Ichigo felt like palming his face at the moment, but refrained from doing that. He didn't want to aggravate the situation. Instead, he tried to say as calmly as possible, "That's right Yukari. No threesome and you shouldn't even be thinking about those kinds of things anyway."

Yukari looked at the older boy, and for the first time, considered his words. Maybe… she just wasn't as _mature_ as Kurumu or Moka was and that's why he wasn't looking at her as a woman. Momentarily she thought about her chest, and how flat it was. She had thought Ichigo would've liked her young and innocent body, but it seemed he preferred girls with fully-developed bodies like Kurumu or Moka. Nodding at this, she knew what she had to do.

But first she turned to look up at the concerned looks of the group. She smiled at them, and saw their features relax. "You're right. I'll wait until my body is all mature like Moka's and Kurumu's!" She grinned as the group shared looks. They shrugged. They supposed this was the best they could do for the moment.

"Glad you understand Yukari." Ichigo gave her a small smile, which caused a blush to spread across her face.

"A-Anything for you Ichigo." She stuttered as she returned the smile.

"Such a lady's man." Ichigo heard Tsukune whisper as he turned to face the boy.

"What?" He asked as Tsukune raised his hands up defensively.

"Ah, nothing! It's just part of an article me and Mizore are working on!" Tsukune turned to his girlfriend for some support, and was relieved when she nodded.

Ichigo blinked before shrugging. Soon thereafter, the group got back to work. Though, while everyone was hard-working, he would occasionally steal glimpses of his girlfriend and think about where to go on their date. A sudden idea hit him and he smiled.


	29. Hobble

**Sorry. In all honesty I didn't have an author's block, I just didn't feel like typing. Been watching too many movies. Saw Iron Man 2 three times, saw dawn of the dead, 28 days later, 28 weeks later, another generic zombie movie, Sunshine, Fox and the Hound, Titan A.E, Princess Mononoke, Summer Wars, and like 5 others I dun remember.**

**Anyways, here ya go! Short and sweet! At least, I hope it is.**

**X X X X X X X**

After a hard day's work, everyone left to go back to their rooms to relax. Well, except for a certain couple who lingered for a bit. Kurumu was the first to get up as she eagerly looked at her boyfriend.

"So…" Kurumu clasped her hands in front of her, looking at Ichigo curiously through violet eyes, "Where are you taking me?"

Ichigo glanced at her as he packed up his stuff. He honestly hoped it wouldn't bring up any bad memories, but one never knew. The spot, in retrospect, had showed him how much she cared for him and what lengths she had gone through for him. He smiled.

"You'll see." Was his enigmatic reply. Kurumu's curiosity only grew as she wondered where Ichigo could possibly be taking her. Her eyes widened slightly as a blush spread over her cheeks. Could it be… that he was actually taking her to his room?

"Come on, let's go." Ichigo gestured with a hand as Kurumu snapped out of it. Well, wherever he was taking her, she would soon find out.

* * *

Well, this certainly wasn't his room. Then again it wasn't even inside a building. They were outdoors for that matter, and, she felt that she should remember where this place was. Then it hit her.

"Isn't this where I got kidnapped?" Kurumu stated, a bit of confusion making its way into her features.

'_I was hoping she wouldn't remember that part.'_ Ichigo thought with a bit of dismay, but he shook his head at her as she stared at him, wanting an explanation.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head. "Well, yea, but this was also where you put the illusion." His voice softened as he took a look at the surrounding area. "I liked it a lot."

Kurumu's eyes widened as a warm feeling blossomed in her chest. So… he really _had_ enjoyed it. "I'm glad." She replied with a smile, "Because I put a lot of hard work into it!"

"Yea… sorry about you getting kidnapped." He apologized as he gave her a sheepish look. Then, by surprise, he was wrapped in a hug.

"It's alright, it was worth it seeing the look on your face while you were sleeping." Then she added, "Plus I was able to cuddle next to you while you weren't looking!"

She giggled when Ichigo looked away, the tips of his ears turning red. So it seemed Ichigo was still a bit shy when it came to physical contact. A grin formed on her face, she would soon remedy that!

"So... what do you want to do?" Ichigo asked her as Kurumu looked up at him.

"I thought you were the one taking me out?" She tilted her head slightly, and Ichigo could feel his heart quicken at the cute gesture.

"W-Well… I actually hadn't planned it out that far." He admitted with a grimace. Now that he thought about it, he wondered why he had brought her back here if he didn't have anything else planned. Sure it was a semi-sweet memory for the both of them, but what were they going to do here?

Kurumu shook her head good-naturedly as a smile crossed her face. Then, she got an idea, and it would also help Ichigo overcome his fear of physical affection. "Hey, why don't we lie down?"

Ichigo blinked, and nodded. He was actually about to suggest that, despite the hell butterflies floating in his stomach. Oddly enough, it was a _good_ feeling and as his back met the ground, he looked up at the sky and could almost _see_ the blue sky and sun.

"That was nice." He said aloud, catching Kurumu's attention.

"What do you mean?" She asked as she turned sideways in order to face him. She looked at him curiously with her head resting in her hand, her elbow propped against the ground.

"The illusion. It was nice." He turned to look at her, a semi-serious look on his face that caught Kurumu off-guard. The look in his eyes told her all that she needed to know. He was thanking her.

"I could put it up again if you want?" She offered, but Ichigo simply shook his head.

"It's alright, I'm already enjoying the view…" He trailed off before turning to look away. Kurumu though, with her heart racing in her chest, managed to see the red cover Ichigo's face. And, judging from the warmth that made its way to her face, she might've been equally as red.

The two shared a moment of stunned silence as Ichigo tried to not look at her. Sure he knew that these new feelings were playing with his head and heart, but he didn't think he'd randomly spurt out things like that!

'_Why did I say that?'_ Ichigo wondered as a grimace formed on his lips. He hadn't meant to say something so corny!

However, while he was thinking it had been corny, Kurumu had found the compliment positively heartwarming. So heartwarming in fact, that she broke the silence by practically throwing herself on top of Ichigo and hugging him, eliciting a surprised sound from the boy.

"Wh-What?" He yelled out, surprised by the sudden move. Her response was to simply snuggle closer to him.

"You're wonderful…" She murmured blissfully as she leaned into his warm body. His aura just seemed to wrap around her like a blanket, and a really warm one at that.

"Uh…" Ichigo looked stupefied as he stared down at the girl on top of him. For a moment, he wondered what to do, but even before he thought about doing anything his arms instinctually wrapped around the blissful girl.

'_I guess that settles that.'_ He thought with a small smile. One thing caught his attention, and that was that she was really soft to the touch. At the moment, she seemed so delicate. Tentatively he reached out and stroked her hair, earning a pleasant murmur from the girl. He enjoyed the soft noise and continued to sweep his fingers through her hair. With an uncharacteristic grin, he thought that he could definitely get used to this!

"Hey Ichigo." Kurumu lifted her head as she spoke, looking into Ichigo's deep brown eyes as he stared back at her.

"W-What is it?" Ichigo couldn't keep the nervous edge out of his voice. Despite having already kissed her a few times, simply staring at her, especially her eyes, would cause him to lose his train of thought. It also made him wonder how he had not noticed those adoring eyes any sooner. Her voice finally snapped him out of his thoughts as she voiced a question that nearly made him do a double-take.

"What's it like being a Shinigami?" Her question seemed innocent enough. Yet, it made him nervous as hell when he heard it. Thankfully, he already had an excuse that really wasn't an excuse, if that made any sense.

"I'm not supposed to talk about it." He said firmly, but Kurumu's gaze seemed to weather away his resolve as a disappointed look crossed her features.

"How come?" She asked as she peered closer at him. She wasn't trying to make him feel uncomfortable, but for some reason that question had suddenly popped into her head and she felt the urge to ask it.

Ichigo's wide eyes clearly portrayed his surprise, despite a semi-scowl on his face. He looked uncomfortable, and he was getting this nagging feeling that he should tell her. Slowly, he looked around before turning his attention back to her. Their eyes held each other's gaze for a moment before Ichigo decided it was too dangerous to say anything… it was already dangerous enought that she had asked him that question, especially in the open.

"It's top secret," He began, "but I'll tell you when we're somewhere more private." Ichigo failed to notice Kurumu's smirk was a devious one until it was too late.

"Like in your bedroom?"

"Yea, like in my be—wait, no! Not like that!" Ichigo yelled out, exasperated and readily embarrassed. Kurumu giggled as she leaned in a gave him a kiss on the nose, which turned his cheeks red.

"Sorry for asking that. I was just curious is all." She apologized once more by planting a gentle kiss on his chest. She felt him tense slightly, but decided not to pursue this interesting reaction and filed it away in her head.

"I… guess it's alright. Just make sure there aren't people around when you ask private questions like that." He looked at her to make sure she knew he was serious. She merely nodded and went back to lying on his chest. Glad that it was over with, Ichigo relaxed as he laid back down against the ground. Sure there wasn't any sun, but it was already warm enough, he noted.

* * *

And so, they spent the evening chatting a bit They talked about many things, from school life to little things about their own lives. Then the conversation somehow escaped Ichigo's direction and they ended up talking about his crazy, insane, impossible, lunatic, psycho father. It was the first time Kurumu had seen Ichigo so fired up outside of battle. Sure he had a quick temper, but his father seemed to really hold the reins on Ichigo's patience. Yet, despite all of Ichigo's insults, Kurumu got the feeling that he was actually really close to his father. She smiled. She hoped she would get to meet him one day.

"And he literally kicked me out of my freakin bed when I was only 12! What kind of insane father does that?" He yelled out as he clutched the air in front of him with his fist. So wrapped up in his rant he was that he failed to see that Kurumu was rolling on the ground in a fit of laughter.

"You're dad… sounds… interesting!" Kurumu choked out through a laugh as she wiped a tear that escaped from laughing so hard. She never knew Ichigo had such an interesting family!

"Psychotic is more like it." Ichigo muttered darkly as he scowled.

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad!" She replied, only to receive a frown. She scooted closer to him and placed a hand on his chest and began rubbing it slightly, the frown on his face slightly receeding.

Ichigo scoffed. "Yea, you're not the one who had to live with him."

Kurumu shook her head. Then, she realized something. "You know, you talked about your dad, and your sisters, but you haven't talked about your mom." She paused when Ichigo suddenly went quiet. Kurumu got the strange feeling that she had asked a question she shouldn't have, but then Ichigo turned to look at her with a small smile on his face.

"I lost her when I was little, but I've already come to terms with that." Then he looked up at the gray sky before continuing, "Actually, I think she's still with me from time to time."

Kurumu's heart went out for the boy as she laced her fingers with his, squeezing his hand slightly. "That's sweet, and I'm sure she's happy that you finally have a wonderful girl in your life." She smiled when Ichigo looked at her in disbelief.

"You're not very modest are you?" He replied.

"You didn't deny it." She countered as she stuck out her tongue playfully at him.

Despite this, Ichigo couldn't help but smile. She was right though, his mom probably was happy for him. And, it was safe to say that he was happy himself. The tender moment seemed to pull them closer as he suddenly leaned forward and took a taste of her lips. Then, he took another, and another, and another.

"Wow…" A breathless Kurumu said when Ichigo pulled away. Her violet eyes stared, unfocused as she reveled at the tingling sensation on her lips and the warmth that made its way through her body. Ichigo seemed equally out of it, with his scowl nowhere in sight.

"Yea." Ichigo rubbed the back of his head, embarrassment now claiming him once the good feelings receeded. He couldn't believe he had done such a thing! Yet, despite his embarrassment, he had thoroughly enjoyed it. He figured Kurumu had enjoyed it as well judging from the look on her face. It was then when he looked away that he realized the sky had gotten dark… well, darker.

"I think we should head back." He told his dazed girlfriend. She met his eyes and held his gaze before she slowly nodded, finally coming back to the real world.

Ichigo got up before stretching out a hand for his girlfriend. She took the hand and got up before pitching forward, causing Ichigo to catch her and hold her in his arms.

"Much better." She said, obvious joy in her voice as she wrapped her arms around Ichigo.

"You know, this is going to make it harder to walk." Ichigo said, even as he adjusted his hold to better hug her.

"Then we will hobble!" She suggested, earning a dubious look from the Shinigami. But once she used her pretty eyes on the boy, he capitulated.

"I… guess we'll hobble then." He muttered, earning a giggle from his girlfriend.

'_I just hope no one sees us.'_ Ichigo thought as they began their hobble back to their dorms. It was dark, so no one would see them…

Right?


	30. Cyclops

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**Me and Faroush are authoring a story that's a Bleach/Star Wars crossover/parody. Anyone interested in reading it please do so and tell us what you think. You can leave a review for me (which I will tell Faroush) or you can PM him as well.**

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"This is ridiculous!"

"Don't tell me you're not enjoying it!"

For their entire trip, they had hobbled all the way to the dorms. Ichigo couldn't help but feel ridiculous, even if he did have Kurumu's warm body pressing against him rather tightly… he tried ignoring that train of thought for the moment. Regardless, he could've easily broken from her grasp and walked at a more normal pace. Yet, he hadn't.

"Can't we just work normally?" Ichigo asked, the fear of someone spotting them doing their little 'hobble' growing by the second as they inched closer to the dorms.

"It's fun though! You never loosen up much, so I thought this would help!" Ichigo merely sighed at Kurumu's logic. Was he really that stiff? Did he not know how to have fun? It couldn't be helped though, he'd been fighting for so long that other than verbal jabs at Ishida, he really didn't know how to have fun.

"I guess… but… we're so close to the dorms." He said, hoping she would catch his hint.

"I know! The danger of being caught makes it exciting right?" Ichigo sighed. She didn't catch his drift. Anyway, it didn't look too bad. They were almost there, and no one seemed to be milling about. They probably were either eating a late dinner or in their rooms resting. So, Ichigo decided to go with the flow and continued hobbling. If only his dad could see him now… no wait, scratch that. He hoped to all that was good and righteous that his dad would _never_ find out about moments like these! Who knows what that insane man would cook up in that twisted brain of his?

Finally, after what seemed like a ridiculous eternity, they arrived at the dorms. With much relief, Ichigo let out a long sigh. "I can't believe I did all of that!" He palmed his face with his right hand as he leaned against a wall.

"You must like me a lot to have gone through all of it." Ichigo's eyes shot wide open as a blush made its way to the tips of his ears.

"W-Well… I… uhh..." He couldn't deny it. Had it been another person he probably wouldn't have gone through with it. No, had it been another person, it wouldn't have even happened.

Kurumu knew what Ichigo's tongue-tied speech meant, and smiled. Ichigo looked at her and scratched the back of his head as he returned her smile with a weak grin. Quickly before he could object, she pressed against him before wrapping him in a hug.

"Guess this is goodnight huh?"

Ichigo gave a terse nod as he gulped. "Y-Yea. I had fun today."

"So did I." She replied before looking into Ichigo's deep, brown eyes. Nothing needed to be said as the two shared a blissful goodnight kiss.

* * *

Gin stared, slack-jawed. He nearly dropped his camera as he fumbled to catch it. "Guah?" Soon he covered his mouth for fear of being discovered. He didn't want Ichigo's anger upon him, even if he did taunt him from time to time in class. He didn't seem to be discovered since neither Kurumu or Ichigo pulled away from the kiss to look at him. He was both relieved and agitated. He was relieved because he wasn't found out, but agitated because now he was staring at Ichigo who was making out with a girl that was far beyond his league. This pissed him off! Luckily he had his camera so he took a few quick pics before dashing off into the night. He would have his revenge… and it would be sweet!

* * *

Ichigo looked up and noticed there was a commotion about. As he walked up, he would soon be faced with the surprise of his life. Multiple photos hung along the outside of the school building. They were all of him and Kurumu in an intimate moment of kissing. His jaw hung open, his brain trying to process if he was seeing what his eyes were registering, or if this was just all a bad dream. The malicious intent coming from the male half of the population told him this was very much real.

"Wh-What's going on?" Ichigo heard Moka call out from beside him. She seemed equally as surprised, and a bit forlorn now that he noticed. It almost looked as if she wished she were the one kissing him.

"Is this true Ichigo-sama?" Ichigo blinked as he turned to his left and saw a girl nearly in tears staring back at him.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Is it true that you're with Kurumu?" She sniffled a bit, and Ichigo didn't know what to do. He did speak honestly though.

"I am." Ichigo staggered back comically when the girl let out a wail as she ran away from him. "The hell was that?" He wondered out loud.

Moka answered for him. "That was your fanclub." She responded simply.

"I have a fanclub?" Ichigo had an incredulous look on his face. Seriously, he had never heard of this so-called fanfclub.

"Well, not anymore." Moka surmised as a bit off in the distance a couple of girls were ripping a banner into pieces.

"No worries, we still have each other!" Ichigo tried turning around to greet the voice, but was glomped from behind which prevented him from doing so. "Morning Ichigo!" Kurumu said in an immensely cheerful tone.

"Hey." Was his simple greeting despite his heart suddenly beating faster in his chest. That was all she needed as she smiled at him, not that he could see with his back turned to him. But there were more reasons as to why she wasn't facing him. She didn't want him to see the look worry on her face. It was amazing how one could go from happy to worried. Then again today was the day when she would have to meet up with Kiria, both her and Moka. Kurumu sent the pink-haired Vampire a glance which she returned with a look of acknowledgment. They would try not to arouse Ichigo's suspicions.

"Something up?" Ichigo asked as he tried to get a look at Kurumu's face, but couldn't with her still holding him. For the moment all thoughts about the pictures were lost.

Kurumu shook her head against Ichigo's back. "No, I'm just very happy at the moment." She wasn't lying to him. But she wasn't exactly being truthful either. Judging from the way Ichigo was silent for a bit before replying she figured he was already catching on to something. She held her breath. She knew Kiria was watching somewhere, but she didn't want to make it obvious that she was giving Ichigo hints.

"I'm happy too." He replied, and she let out a breath. She didn't know whether to feel relieved that Ichigo hadn't noticed—which also meant Kiria didn't as well—or disappointed that he hadn't thought about it a bit longer. Well, there was always a chance he would figure it out later. She pushed those thoughts away and decided to enjoy the moment and bask in Ichigo's warmth.

Their little moment was not without consequence however. A few of the shorter-tempered students stalked up towards them. Their threatening stares seemed to want to break Ichigo and Kurumu apart, not that either of them noticed until they were right in front of them.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing with her huh?" One boy, easily seven feet tall even in human form towered over the couple. His allies stood at either side like wingmen.

Ichigo didn't answer and instead stared at what seemed to be the leader. "What, you're not going to say anything punk?" The tall monster sneered before falling down, along with his buddies a moment later. Ichigo figured that it was time to see if his training paid off. It looked like it worked since he managed to get them to their knees without asphyxiating them. But as he looked around, he noticed he needed a lot more practice because everyone else was affected as well with the exception of Kurumu or Moka. He figured they were used to it by now… at least in this form anyways. It would be great though if he could pinpoint his pressure to individual opponents like some of the other Captains could.

He looked around, the signature scowl on his face. It was hard to take him seriously with the girl on his back, yet everyone did so… probably because they wanted to be _alive_ by next semester. He'd already gotten the title of 'probably the strongest monster.' There were still others who hadn't fought him so the title of 'actual strongest' was still in reserve. Regardless, the others backed away for the moment, not wanting to get on Ichigo's bad side. After that little commotion was over, the trio headed to class.

Not before Ichigo remembered about the pictures and proceeded to tear them down. He would find whoever did this and make them eat these photos!

* * *

Classes went by as normal… well… as normal as they could get. From time to time, Ichigo would get jealous stares from the male population and he would send a scowl right back at them. This would work for ten minutes until he could feel their stares on him once again. He sighed as he got the feeling that he would probably be in some more fights in the not too distant future judging from their looks. He grinned. Well, the one good thing, he supposed, would be that he could get some training in with these guys as test subjects.

Finally the bell rang and he was ready to go. For some reason, going to lunch now would be different. That difference was a certain blue-haired girl that was now his girlfriend. The word itself was strange in his mind despite the past day or so. It was like his mind couldn't get used to the fact. Regardless, he had one and it made him happier than he thought it would've, not that he showed it well with the persistent scowl on his face.

His happiness dropped a level when he noticed Kurumu wasn't sitting at their regular lunch table. "Where'd Kurumu go?" He asked, not noticing that Moka wasn't there either.

"I don't know. Kurumu and Moka said they had to take care of something." Tsukune replied as Ichigo finally took notice that Moka was missing as well.

"Do you know where they went?" Ichigo asked, only receiving a shake of the head as a reply. A look of worry crossed his features as he sat down. Could that be the bad feeling he had earlier? He thought it had just been his imagination… but what if it wasn't? Not being one to not take action, Ichigo got up to go search for Kurumu.

Oh and Moka as well.

* * *

Moka and Kurumu waited in the place where they first met this Kiria person. They looked apprehensive as they looked for any signs of him. They both wondered what kind of 'entertainment' Kiria would ask them to perform. Kurumu secretly hoped that Ichigo would come to their rescue, but even if he didn't, she wouldn't hold it against him. She was still strong, and she could hold her own if need be.

"We meet again." Both girls whipped around and saw Kiria standing there in the open, a book in his hand. "I'm glad you took my advice and not told anyone. It would've been tiring to have to eliminate them when I didn't feel like it."

Kurumu felt relief flood her mind. It seemed he hadn't noticed. That constant half-smile on his face told her he didn't suspect anything. Then, she heard a rumbling noise. Two giant Cyclops walked steadily until they reached Kiria. These monsters, though not known for their intelligence, were known for their brute strength. And currently one of these brutes was carrying a giant hammer as he sported a grin.

"Don't worry about my friends here, they're not related to the Outcast Ayashi. I only brought them here to test you guys." Then he turned his eyes towards Moka, "I won't let you escape Moka-san."

Moka took a step back from Kiria's steady gaze. His face seemed disarming enough, but she knew he was far from innocent. Kurumu on the other hand had released her transformation and lunged at Kiria with her claws, intent on skewering him. Kiria didn't budge and instead swatted her attack away. "You're not fit to be my opponent." He told her as he looked at, tilting his head slightly. Kurumu couldn't help but feel belittled by his gaze. It made her feel as if she was a child that wouldn't learn her lessons. The thought alone was enough to get her mad and come in for another attack.

"How foolish. Please stop doing such boring things. I told you that you aren't fit to be my opponent." He said as a matter-of-factly when he simply caught her arm. Kurumu grunted as she struggled to escape his grasp, but he had a grip of iron and would not let go.

Kiria turned his gaze somewhere behind Kurumu. "Aside from that, why don't we go sight-seeing some interesting things?" His semi-smile widened imperceptibly as Kurumu followed his stare. She gasped when she saw the two Cyclops tormenting Moka by ripping holes in her uniform. She already had a huge hole that revealed in her midsection that just barely exposed the bra underneath as multiple rips skittered across her uniformed.

"Oohh! Her skin is so shiny!" The Cyclops with the hat let loose a grin that was filled with razor-sharp teeth. The other one wielding a hammer merely nodded as it began salivating. Then the hat-Cyclops pointed at her as his one eye turned to face Kiria. "Hey Kiria, are you really gonna let us do what we want with her?"

"Do as you please." That was all the affirmation the Cyclops needed before continuing.

"Moka!" Kurumu yelled out as Moka was nearly left shirtless now. She tried helping her, but it was to no avail since she was still in Kiria's grasp.

"Eh?" Kiria's voice sounded curious as he watched the struggling Moka, "Why isn't she changing into her Vampire self?" He stared speculatively at Moka before he wondered out loud, "I wonder if there's a 'condition' that needs to be met?"

'_He knows about the Rosay!'_ Now Kurumu tried even harder to escape his grasp. If he knew that much about them, then he was truly dangerous. "Let me go!" She yelled at him before pausing when she saw his features darken. Even that innocent semi-smile of his seeming just a bit threatening.

"Really now? Why? Are you going to help Moka? Wouldn't Moka being out of the picture leave you completely free to be with Ichigo? You wouldn't have to share." Kurumu narrowed her eyes. So he had been spying on them a lot sooner than she had expected. Worse, he knew she had seriously contemplated denying Moka. In her previous life, she would've let the Cyclops have their way with Moka to get rid of the competition. But this was not that life as she wrenched her hand free from his grip. She noted it had been a little too easy, but didn't bother with it as she went to Moka's aid. She arrived just in time to stop them from completely ripping of Moka's clothes.

Just before the Cyclops with the hat managed to do anything else, Kurumu dragged her claws across his face. The Cyclops stumbled the opposite direction as he let out a bellowing yell as he tried to stop the bleeding with his hand. Three long gashes stretched from his temple to the bottom of his jaw. While all of this was happening, Kiria merely stared with curiosity as Kurumu positioned herself in front of Moka.

"Kiria, did you really think I would betray my friends? I might've if it were a few months ago, but I've changed. You need to upgrade your intel because it sucks!" Kurumu brought her left claw in front of her as her right one was raised behind her, just above her hand, ready to attack or defend, whichever it may be.

Kiria stayed silent for a moment before he looked at them, a dull look on his face. "Oh great. What should I do? You guys seem rather boring now. I really wish this hadn't happened." Then he shrugged as he gestured with his hand. "Oh well. Please take care of them you two."

The behemoths were more than happy to oblige, especially the one who had gotten his face carved up. Both Cyclops' muscles tensed as they prepared an assault against the two girls.

* * *

'_Come on old man! I have to protect them!'_ Ichigo nearly begged as he saw the two Cyclops near the Vampire and Succubus.

'_**If you defend everyone, they will never grow. They have to fight their own battles as well.**__**'**_ Zangetsu countered even as Ichigo's mind stirred with thoughts of jumping down and defending the girls.

Ichigo gave a low growl, but knew that Zangetsu had always been the wise one. Still, he didn't have to like his decision. So he waited for the outcome of the ensuing battle.

* * *

The battle raged on. For a moment, it had been simply Kurumu defending with Moka as a spectator. But now Moka had formed her resolve and entered the fray. If should couldn't compete with her rival in a fight then how could she hope to compete for Ichigo's love? Kurumu noticed Moka's willingness and turned to her, telling her that she couldn't fight without her Vampire form. Moka shook her head.

"I won't run, and I will not lose to you Kurumu-chan!" Moka stated plainly as she got into what barely passed as a battle stance. Kurumu merely grinned as she faced her back to Moka's.

"Well then, let's give them a beating they won't forget!" Kurumu said as the Cyclops surrounded them and were ready for an attack. Soon they lunged and all hell broke loose.

* * *

Ichigo didn't know whether to be happy or… depressed. Kurumu had done fine, but Moka…

He didn't know what to make of it. The fight, if he could call it that, had been rather pitiful.

Moka had somehow stolen the hammer from the Cyclops and had chased him for a while with it before finally bonking him on the head with a 'ferocious' yell. The Cyclops went down and would probably wake up with a case of amnesia. He had sweatdropped when Moka stood triumphant over the body of the Cyclops. Well, at least all went well. He would have to find out who this guy was though. Ichigo had been far enough from the fray so no one would notice him, but this also had the effect of not letting him hear the dialogue that went on. He wondered if he should ask, but Zangetsu had advised him not too. With a shrug, he wrapped Zangetsu back in its bandages before Shunpo'ing away.

* * *

Another figure walked away, pondering on the events that had just transpired. His half-smile more resembled a grin at the moment as he thought of the amusement that he had just witnessed a moment ago. "Ah… I didn't get to see the Vampire side of Moka-san. How disappointing." Despite his words, he looked rather happy, especially when he remembered how Moka had defeated her opponent. "Well, I was also entertained at the last part, so I guess I'll leave you guys alone for now."

He walked away, disappearing into a fog that seemed to come from out of nowhere.

"You did well even without your Vampire self coming out." Kurumu stated as she looked at the Vampire.

Moka smiled. "We make a pretty good team don't we?"

"We do," Kurumu nodded, "But Ichigo and I still make a better one."

Moka's smile lessened slightly at the boy's name, but she still remained optimistic. Now that she had the chance though, she was going to ask the question that had been on her mind all day. "So are you willing to share Ichigo with me?"

Surprise only took hold of Kurumu for just a brief moment. Kurumu herself had been expecting that question for a while. While she did understand the need to procreate because monsters faced extinction, she got the feeling it was more than that. Maybe Moka really did love Ichigo, but Kurumu just didn't want to share Ichigo with anyone! She had finally gotten her Destined One and she couldn't help but feel a bit selfish. She sighed, there had to be a solution.

Then it hit her. There _was_ a solution! Kurumu turned to Moka as she said, "Well, if Ichigo's alright with it, I'm ok."

Moka's eyes widened. "Really? I'm so glad!" Moka beamed happily as she felt that Ichigo was now closer within her reach.

Kurumu looked away. Moka wouldn't be as happy if she knew how shy Ichigo was. He'd probably blow a gasket if he heard that she had agreed to share him. She was banking on Ichigo's shyness though, hoping that he would deny her since she herself didn't have the heart to deny Moka.

She just hoped everything turned out alright.


	31. Cream

**My first flashback for this story will be written! Hope you guys like it, I don't usually write them because they annoy me personally very much, but I didn't know how else to write it. **

**P.S. I was wondering if anyone was willing to tell me how that Japanese school system (high school) work? I know that the teachers switch classrooms and not the students, and about clubs (for the most part), but other stuff like Physical Education and all that. How are the time slots for each class divided? I want to try to make my story accurate since they don't really explain the class curriculum of Tsukune in the manga. All the chapters I've seen have either been outside, during lunch, or in the club. Time is very vague and it's getting on my nerves a bit.**

**Thanks to anyone who replies!**

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This had been quiet for the Newspaper Club. The Outcast Ayashi that had been targeting them had not been seen in over a week. Now it seemed like there would be peace at last.

"Oi! Get back here!"

Well, relatively speaking that is.

"How did you know it was me?" Gin, with his transformation released, ran away from a heavily ticked off Ichigo.

"You tried framing me once. So I figured you were the one who did this." Ichigo replied before using a quick Shunpo to appear in front of Gin.

"That doesn't seem like solid evidence…" Gin trailed off when Ichigo cracked his knuckles while giving off a malicious grin that rivaled Kenpachi's. But Gin kept calm. "You still don't have any proof."

"Let me see your camera then." Ichigo extended in hand.

Gin simply "hmph'd" as he gave Ichigo one of his famous smiles that melted girls' hearts. "You see Ichigo, I'm not stupid. I already deleted the picture so…" Then he realized it.

"Oh shit…"

'Oh shit' was right as Ichigo proceeded to give the werewolf the beating of a lifetime!

* * *

As Ichigo walked away from the beaten form of Gin, he couldn't help but feel satisfied. It felt so rewarding to get his hands on that werewolf after all the trouble he'd caused. Presently, he took time to breathe in the air outside. It didn't do much for him. The air wasn't exactly stale, but it didn't have that "summer smell" and it wasn't "mountain fresh" either. For some reason, it reminded him of recycled ventilated air inside buildings only not to the same extent. He shook his head. If he thought anymore about it he might get depressed.

As he headed to their club room to meet up for lunch, someone caught his eye. A man with a cigarette calmly blew out a smoke-filled breath. It wasn't the smoking that got his attention, but rather how he looked. Minus the cloak and glasses, he looked almost like an exact replica of Zangetsu. Only this guy seemed a lot more menacing and didn't have the calm exterior Zangetsu had. Ichigo suddenly felt alert around this man when he noticed him grinning with his cigarette firmly between his teeth. He wondered momentarily if this was another one of those Outcast Ayashi, but the man made no move to approach Ichigo. When nothing happened after a moment, Ichigo shrugged him off as just some weirdo and went on his way.

"That's the target: Kurosaki Ichigo?" The man with the cigarette talked to a person behind him. A person who didn't reply and remained silent.

"Hm. I'd rather have the girl that hangs out with him all the time. She's more my taste." He took a drag of his cigarette before blowing the smoke out. "Well, just being able to eat I'll take that shit. I haven't 'eaten' in a long time… I should savor this."

Finally at the end of its life, the cigarette was discarded with a flick of the fingers before a new one was replaced in the man's mouth. Calmly the man walked away.

* * *

Ichigo finally arrived in the clubroom. Like always he was received with a hug from his girlfriend. Even after a week he still couldn't get used to any public display of affection. For some reason it made him realize how well endowed his girlfriend was, which led to him being embarrassed, which led to his ears turning red. He never had this problem when they hugged or shared intimate moments in private… granted that didn't happen much. There was a reason why…

_4 Days Ago_

_Ichigo was rather sleepy. All the action had mostly died down except a few challenges here and there. He almost_ wished_ for the Outcast Ayashi to attack. He would've preferred it to this dreadful peace. Then he wondered if he was becoming a cynic. Shouldn't he be happy that there was peace and that no one was threatening his friends and girlfriend? Well, whatever, it was time to get some sleep anyways. And as he pulled away the covers, he got another surprise of a lifetime._

"_Hey Ichigo." There, in his bed, in nothing but black-laced panties and matching bra was his girlfriend Kurono Kurumu._

_Ichigo dashed back and pointed at her with an accusing finger, stuttering, "W-W-What the hell is this!"_

_Kurumu lazily stretched her arms, her sensuous movements causing frustration, embarrassment, and a strange new emotion to stir within him. _

"_You said it would be nice if we could get together outside of class." She replied as she looked at him with big, round eyes that made Ichigo's danger gauge rise exponentially._

"_This isn't what I meant!" He nearly squeaked when Kurumu pulled herself out of the bed and steadily walked over towards him._

"_Then…" She took another step as she leaned slightly forward, giving him a gracious view of her generous assets, "What _did_ you mean?"_

"_I mean that.. we.. there should be more places for go on dates!" His skewed replied only served to further fuel Kurumu's actions._

"_I don't mind as long as I'm with you." Finally she closed the distance and leaned into his fran as she poked Ichigo's chest, her voice soft and sensuous, "I can think of a lot of fun things to do without ever leaving your room." Slowly she dragged her finger down his chest, reveling in the strained look he was giving her. Sure he didn't _seem_ to be enjoying it, but from what her mother taught her, if they weren't actively fighting back, then they were secretly enjoying it._

_It almost seemed like Ichigo had read her mind when he brought up his hands to grab hers before using that little speed trick to escape. Now he was back against the adjacent wall in his room. "S-Stop that! I'm not ready for this!" He was vehement in his little articulation as he stared at her with serious eyes. Though... she was pretty sure that 'tent' in his pants suggested otherwise.  
_

_Kurumu simply smiled. "I know you're thinking like that, but once we're in bed, I'll prove just how ready you actually are!" And with that she jumped to try and snare him in her arms. Ichigo's eyes widened before he did a dramatic dodge to the right, knocking over a table in the process._

"_No!" He denied her as she tried leaping once again. This went on for nearly an hour before she became too tired to do anything else._

_Throughout the week, Kurumu had tried more of these little 'private sessions.' Though after Ichigo boarded his windows she finally seemed to take the hint. However, Ichigo couldn't shake off the feeling that she was simply waiting and planning…_

_End_

"Hey Kurumu. What are we doing today?" He returned the hug, which she accepted with a smile. Ichigo gave a mental shake of the head. It was hard to believe that this was the same person that tried to get him naked those other nights ago. She seemed so demure…

"We're doing an article on the upcoming school festival." Kurumu replied as she dragged Ichigo to their desks by the hand. Ichigo greeted everyone and they greeted him back.

"School festival?" Ichigo asked as he sat down, taking in the new information.

Tsukune nodded. "That's right. Gin-sempai told us that there would be a huge Bazaar. Stands will be everywhere and it will be very much like a human festival." Tsukune blinked. "Where _is_ Gin-sempai?"

Ichigo's scowl deepened slightly. "He had an accident."

Most people in the room shivered at Ichigo's tone. They didn't bother to ask. Kurumu herself figured it was related to those pictures that had been up a week ago. They had been pasted inside the bathrooms as well, which almost sent Ichigo on a rampage. Luckily she calmed him down and they took down the pictures. She guessed Gin had been behind it, and from the looks of it, she had been right.

"Aside from that," Now it was the quiet Mizore who spoke, "We're writing this article to bring weekly updates about plans concerning the festival."

Moka nodded and finished off for her. "This will include attractions, stands, rides, food, and many other things."

Ichigo nodded as he grabbed a blank sheet of paper to begin outlining. "So what are we doing first?"

Before long, the newspaper group was hard at work. They really had to squeeze all the free time they could. They were already busy writing as is, but now they would have to cover the festival as well. There would be much work that lay ahead for them.

* * *

Something felt off for Ichigo. As the teacher droned on, Ichigo's focus shifted towards the window. He could've sworn he just saw a pair of eyes watching him a moment ago. He stretched out his senses, trying to see if he could detect any bit of reiatsu. Whatever had been watching him had disappeared since he detected nothing. Still, he couldn't shake off the feeling… and for some reason the image of that man from earlier came to mind.

"Something wrong Ichigo?" Kurumu asked from behind. Ichigo shook his head in reply.

"No. I think the peace has made me paranoid."

"Well… we could always do something _together_ if you want." She hinted suggestively as Ichigo gulped.

"W-We should focus." Ichigo finally replied, though, he could almost_ feel_ Kurumu's violet eyes staring at his back, waiting, planning for something beyond his imagination. Then again, it might've been just that, his imagination. Still... he was seriously going to have a talk with Kurumu about this. Though he had never been on a date, he didn't think relationships progressed this fast. He would have to ask Tsukune about this during training.

* * *

"What?" Tsukune put his pinky in his ear to clear up any obstacle. He wanted to make sure he had heard Ichigo correctly.

Ichigo, for one, didn't feel like repeating himself. It was already embarrassing enough asking this question. "I asked… if you and Mizore… have… done it… together…"

Tsukune blinked. "You mean sex right?" When Ichigo nodded, Tsukune almost felt like the world had gone topsy-turvy. But he answered regardless.

"Yea… three days after our first kiss." He admitted, though not without a blush and a smile.

Somehow… that was not the answer Ichigo had been expecting. "Really? Just three days?"

Tsukune nodded, the smile not disappearing. "Yea… we had already been close and practically dating, or so Mizore says, before we kissed. I guess that little push was all that was needed to seal the deal." Then a thought occurred to Tsukune. "Why do you ask?"

Ichigo, for his part, looked a bit alarmed as he tried changing the subject. "J-Just curious. Me and Kurumu are dating so I was wondering."

Tsukune blinked. "You know if you want to make love to her, I'm pretty sure she's more than ready."

'_Oh don't I know that.'_ Ichigo thought before shaking his head. "No, it's alright. I was just wondering."

Tsukune gave Ichigo a look that said he didn't believe him, but he let it go for the moment. Now it was time for their training. With a look, they both got into battle stances and proceeded into their training. Though Tsukune had yet to improve in strength, speed, or even energy, his reflexes and focus had improved. Ichigo figured he could've taken on Midou at this stage. Possibly even Kuyou since Tsukune's ability seemed to negate all energy. And in this form, he was still stronger than any human.

Ichigo got into what he called "beginner's stance." It was a sort of like giving Tsukune training wheels so that he wouldn't go overboard and accidentally hurt Tsukune. And with that, the two combatants lunged at each other.

* * *

Training was finally over as Ichigo rested Zangetsu on his shoulder. Tsukune on the other hand was panting, as sweat dripped on his head. "So… how… did… I… do?" Tsukune asked between pants.

"You're fighting better." Ichigo said.

"But I'm not getting faster or stronger right?" Ichigo only nodded. Tsukune hung his head. "I wish I had gotten a different power. What's the point in being more skilled if I'm not going to get stronger or faster?" He sighed as he leaned against a tree, feeling a bit dismayed by his lack of improvement.

Ichigo scratched his head a bit, not really sure how to deal with this. "Well, your power is kinda cool. You did negate that huge explosion a few months back right?"

Tsukune lifted his head as he thought about it. "I guess so."

Ichigo nodded. "You only wanted to get power to defend, not just to have it right?"

Tsukune thought about Mizore, which was the reason he had sought for power in the first place."Yea, I guess that's true. What am I thinking about huh?" Tsukune grinned as his energy finally returned to him. "Thanks. I guess I lost focus for a minute."

"No problem." Ichigo replied before he sensed a pair of eyes on him. This time however, those eyes didn't disappear. Ichigo's eyes widened when it was that Zangetsu-looking man from earlier. Something told him he wasn't there to give advice like the old man did.

"Who are you?" Ichigo immediately asked as he hoisted up Zangetsu. The man simply quirked an eyebrow as he pulled the cigarette away from his mouth

"That's a mighty big sword you got there. You sure you're not compensating for something?" The man blew out a smoke ring as he eyed Ichigo. A small devious grin formed when Ichigo looked ticked off.

"Who are you?" Ichigo said once again, this time with more force in his tone.

"The name's Hyakushiki." The man's legs suddenly seemed to dissolve as he released his transformation. A long, insect-like body took its place. It stretched out for a good sixteen feet before stopping as three legs sprouted from each of twelve sections trailing behind him. Sharp pincers grew from his cheek bones before curving to nearly meet at the mouth. His body turned into hard carapace as did his hands which nearly fused into drill-like claws.

Suddenly he grinned. "Though I would prefer to eat your delicate little girlfriend, you and that other boy will do for the moment." He lunged at the boy. But he missed, and didn't even expect a sword to already be pressing against his neck. He dared not move in case the blade accidentally tore open the vein it was pressed against.

"**What are you doing here?**" Kyakushiki shivered as a momentary echo in Ichigo's voice resounded in his heart. For a moment, he had thought he was dealing with death himself.

If only he knew how true that was.

"Someone said I could eat my fill if I eliminated you." Now Kyakushiki was frightened when he felt an immense aura begin to weigh him down. Slowly he fell to the ground, barely supported by his many legs and two hands. But as soon as it came it was gone. Something told him it had to do with the boy with the glowing dagger, even if he did look significantly weaker than the orange-head standing over him.

"Stop Ichigo. I know he threatened Kurumu, but you shouldn't try to take his life either." Tsukune spoke boldly as he held his blade at the ready. He wasn't going to attack Ichigo, and he was pretty sure Ichigo hadn't lost his mind and was going to attack him either, but he did it to subdue the energy Ichigo was releasing.

Tsukune blinked for a moment when Ichigo turned to look at him. He could've sworn that Ichigo's eyes had been yellow for the moment. Must've been his imagination.

Ichigo, for his part, looked like he was fighting against something on the inside. Though it was only for a second, it was enough for the millipede-like monster to slip out of Ichigo's grasp. His eyes darted between each person, before ending up at Tsukune. With a hiss, he darted forward with his pincer like legs, intent on grabbing him and cutting him up.

It didn't go as he expected as Tsukune leapt into the air. Tsukune quickly flipped over the millipede and ran down the length of his body before dodging to the left when the tail end whipped up and tried to hit him. Finally the two opponents were staring down each other, Kyakushiki quirking an eyebrow when Tsukune pulled out that very small blade from earlier.

"Ha! What do you intend on doing with that little thing? Poke me?" Kyakushiki laughed with malice as his legs pushed him upwards, giving him a daunting height of eleven feet. Tsukune remained undeterred as he faced down his opponent as he waited for him to attack. Unlike Ichigo, Tsukune had a lot more patience, which he intended to use as a strength. It worked as Kyakushiki became impatient and bounded towards Tsukune at a remarkable speed.

Almost at the last second, Tsukune actually leaped _towards_ Kyakushiki, who was caught off-guard by this maneuver. Tsukune was thankful that his blade was the size it was. That way he could inflict damage without it being fatal. He couldn't bear the thought of killing someone, even accidentally. The attack succeeded and left a gash in Kyakushiki's side. Tsukune did not pause however. One rule Ichigo had told him was that if the opponent was not on the ground unconscious, or at least heavily wounded, he would most likely get back up and fight again. So, turning around, he dashed again at the millipede, who tried turning around to block the attack. It was of no use as Tsukune predicted this and slipped underneath his guard once again, delivering an identical blow, but on the opposite side. Surprisingly, this same tactic worked for the next five minutes as Tsukune did not let up. His skill was enough to match Kyakushiki's strength and even speed.

Finally, the millipede fell to the ground, unable to stay conscious from all the wounds inflicted on its body. At that moment, Tsukune also fell to the ground when the last vestiges of his energy left him.

Ichigo, who had watched the whole thing, was rather impressed by how well Tsukune had fought. Ichigo actually thought that his skill was more than enough for most monsters here. Though… he wondered what to do now. He had a body… two to be exact, lying on the dirt in front of him. He scratched his head for a moment before he felt a cold chill at his back. Quickly he turned around to find the source, but nothing was there, nothing but the silent wind. He turned back only to find the body of the millipede man gone. Ichigo raised his sword, intent on defending from a surprise attack, but when nothing happened after two minutes he dropped his guard just a bit. He was still alert as he walked up to Tsukune and prodded his body with a few light kicks. His eyes were still scanning their surroundings.

Finally Tsukune stirred before trying to get up. His legs wobbled a bit, but he managed to stand. Walking, however, seemed a different task all together as his legs wouldn't respond. Tsukune turned to Ichigo and gave him a weak grin, "I think I might need a little help."

Ichigo looked around once again before nodding, and went over to Tsukune, who draped an arm around Ichigo's shoulders in order to support himself. Then they made their way to Tsukune's dorm.

* * *

'_You'll need better control over your emotions if you're going to be of any use to me Ichigo-kun.'_ A white-robed figure stood on a branch, the body of Kyakushiki draped over his shoulders. Then he smiled. _'I think you'll do well.'

* * *

_

Ichigo still needed to help Tsukune get inside his apartment. And as the door opened and both boys entered, Ichigo, yet once again, got the surprise of a lifetime. Actually, both boys did.

"M-M-Mizore-chan! W-What are you doing to my body!" Tsukune's exasperated tone caught the attention of said girl, who was putting whipped cream on Tsukune's bare-chested body. And from the looks of where her hand was going, she hadn't planned on stopping there eitherr. She stopped for a moment when she noticed that Tsukune was not alone, and a blush crossed her face.

"H-Hello Tsukune-kun, Ichigo." Mizore greeted in a reserved, but distinctly embarrassed tone. Then she turned to Tsukune since Ichigo was in too great a shock to reply. "I… was preparing a surprise for when you came back. I didn't think you'd have… company."

"B-But you didn't do this before with my body!" He countered as she put away the offending can of whipping cream behind her.

"It… just occurred to me." She said softly, the only sign of her embarrassment at the moment.

"I'll leave now." Ichigo said in a slightly monotone voice. It seemed the shock was too great for him, not that Mizore and Tsukune noticed since they exchanged talk in bewildered and abashed tones. They only noticed Ichigo had left when the door closed behind them.

As Ichigo walked away, there was only one thought on his mind: What the hell did I just see?


	32. Graffitti

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* * *

**

He stared at them.

They stared back.

"Hmm."

"Yea…"

"_That _never happened, right?"

"Agreed." All three people nodded in unison. They were to _never_ speak about the whipped cream incident ever.

Their little talk winded down just in time to see Moka, Kurumu, Yukari, and surprisingly Gin arrive. Currently they were behind the school building with multiple tables and chairs set up. They were a bit worried that someone from the Outcast Ayashi would come into the room and attack them, so they were hoping that being on the move would reduce that risk. At least until things cooled down. And as Gin walked to the 'head' table, he slammed a newspaper down and pointed at it.

"Have you seen this?" Gin remarked in an uncharacteristically sharp tone, "This is serious!"

Everyone was a bit baffled by his behavior as they gathered around the table. Mizore titled her head to better read it. "The school festival will be in a rain of blood. We strongly object to the school festival on the 29th of October. We plead the school management to stop it, or else there will be blood flowing on the 29th."

Moka gave a light gasp at the words as the others shared worried looks. What worried them at the moment was not the threat, but the fact that the threat was supposedly from _their_ newspaper.

"I don't recall writing any of this." Moka said as she looked through the pages.

"It's a fake. Someone was spreading these newspapers in bulk this morning. There was graffiti on the school's walls as well." Gin replied.

"A fake?" Moka's eyes widened, "How did this happen? Who would do this?"

"It was antithesis." Ichigo spoke up, surprising everyone, "The headmaster told me when Kurumu was knocked unconscious a while back."

Gin grimaced as he nodded. "He's right. Details and numbers of the group are unknown. They disregard the school's peace policies assuming violence should be the way. They are a threat to the school."

Gin looked at the newspaper again before continuing, "The newspaper that they've started will make our club the scapegoat. We might be detained by the school or possibly suspended."

Moka looked downcast as well as the rest of the group. "No way, how can that be?"

Ichigo looked between each person and saw how they were each contemplating on what to do. He took a quiet step back; it seemed it was time to contact the headmaster. With a quick Shunpo, he disappeared just as Kurumu turned around.

* * *

Two crisscrossing blades pressed against his neck, but Ichigo made no move to block them or move away. Instead he let them do as they pleased as they radioed in to their boss. They were, if he recalled, the headmaster's bodyguards. They were all dressed in nice black suits and sunglasses.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, are you the editor of this newsletter?" One of the men held up a newspaper that looked remarkably like the one the newspaper group worked on. Ichigo nodded.

"You are hereby detained. You are suspected of being a member of Antithesis." The man pocketed the newspaper before grabbing him by the shoulder. Ichigo stood there perfectly calm and obediently did what they asked.

* * *

Ichigo looked around. This was the principal's office? It looked more like a freakin' mansion than anything else! The ceiling was obscenely high and the stairs were wide enough that fifteen people could've walked side-to-side with room to spare. The stairs themselves split into opposing directions at the top. Ichigo wondered if he would remember the way out just in case, but it didn't really matter though because once they entered the hallways at the top of the stairs, he was lost. It was like a maze to anyone who didn't know the surroundings.

Finally after a few minutes of walking, they arrived to a door that seemed very similar to all the rest. But the room inside was anything but normal. Skulls lay atop drawers and desks that lined the wall. The only light in the room were the dim candles on top of said skulls. All in all, it was a creepy and unsettling feeling. It radiated a strange power, one that probably Ishida would've had fun trying to describe.

At the end of the room, he finally saw the head chairman, his glowing eyes staring at him beneath a hooded face. The only thing besides his 'eyes' that could be seen was his mouth. It was always in the form of a grin that made Ichigo suspect that he was always laughing at an inside joke or something.

"We meet again Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo looked at the man before giving an irritated sigh. "Did we have to go through all the theatrics though? You could've just called me up."

If possible, the chairman's grin widened. "Yes, but then Antithesis might've suspected something. We can't have that happening now, can we?"

"I guess not." Ichigo frowned, "So what do you want me to do? You told me to come here if something from this Antithesis group came up."

The strange man folded his hands in front of his mouth. Yet, this did not stop the feeling that he was grinning. "I think you know what I need you to do."

"Take care of the group right? Sure, no sweat." Ichigo replied, but the headmaster shook his head.

"It's not that simple Ichigo." He replied, "If you move in to try an attack, the whole group might end up doing something hasty and could endanger everyone. No, I have a different task for you."

Ichigo gave him a curious look as the headmaster continued, "There's a mole in the committee. I would need you to join and find out who this person is."

Ichigo folded his arms across his chest. "So you're asking me to be a spy?"

The headmaster merely nodded and Ichigo sighed. He rubbed the back of his head as he thought about it before giving a reply, "Alright, guess I'll do it. When do I start?"

"You start after this 'graffiti demon' is taken care of. He's been giving me headaches for quite some time. Here, take this." The headmaster then stood up as he pulled out a paper from seemingly out of nowhere and handed it to Ichigo, who took and looked it over. It was a map to the committee's location.

"I want you to make this festival a success. Co-existence with humanity will be that much easier." Ichigo understood what this meant for the headmaster. Despite his creepy looks, Ichigo felt that this man was actually out to try and make the world a better place… at least in regards to monsters.

Seeing that the headmaster seemed to be finished, he headed out the door. Before he left though, the white-robed man called out to him with some surprising news that greatly shocked Ichigo, "I would also hope that you have better control of your Hollow should anything happen. Your battle with Kyakushiki proved that you do not have full reign over it."

"H-How ?" Ichigo's mind geared up as he stared at the ever glowing eyes of the man, searching for an answer as he felt tension rise within him. Had his cover been blown?

To further his surprise, the man merely waved him off. "I am a Hades Lord, which means I am privy to things that no other being would. I know all about your exploits as a Substitute Shinigami." Seeing the serious look on Ichigo's face, he said, "Relax Ichigo. No one else knows."

"…Good." Ichigo paused before replying. His stance relaxed a bit, but he was still wary of the man. How this person knew about Shinigami or Hollows without being either of them was beyond Ichigo's understanding. Somehow, this man reminded him of Hat'n clogs, much to Ichigo's distaste. Seeing as he couldn't do anything about it, he decided to trust the man… for now.

"Now that everything is out in the open, I would like to inform you that there are no Hollows in or outside this campus."

It took two full seconds for Ichigo to comprehend what had just been said. Even after he understood, all he said was,"What?"

For his part, the headmaster's grin only seemed to intensify. "That's right; it was all a ruse by me. There were never any Hollows to begin with."

Something snapped within Ichigo as he finally yelled out, "Then why the hell am I here?"

"To help out with the school. I needed a 'special' being like you Ichigo." The headmaster replied smoothly without missing a beat as his eyes shined ominously beneath his hood.

"What do you mean 'special' being?" Ichigo asked as his face formed a rather dark scowl. He wasn't liking any of this at the moment. He didn't like the fact that if what the headmaster was saying was true, then it meant he had been duped. It didn't explain though why he hadn't been contacted yet by Soul Society. Wait a minute, didn't the barrier cause others to forget about ever seeing the Academy? Before Ichigo could pursue this train of thought, he was interrupted by the headmaster.

"Will you do it?" The headmaster replied, ignoring Ichigo's question as he received a hard stare from the boy. Finally after a moment, Ichigo let out an irritated sigh. It didn't seem like he would get an answer right away… and if this man was anything like Hat'n Clogs, he wasn't going to get one until he did what was asked of him.

"Fine." He let out a harsh breath as he mulled over things. Since he was already here and done so much, he guessed there was no sense in leaving things half-finished.

The headmaster nodded approvingly, seemingly reading Ichigo's thoughts. "Good. I knew you'd accept."

Ichigo sent the crazy man one last glare before turning to leave and headed towards the newspaper group.

"Good luck Kurosaki Ichigo. I have high hopes for you."

* * *

"Doesn't it seem like we're forgetting something?" Rukia asked the red-head next to her as they sat along one of the cliffs in Soul Society.

"What do you mean?" Renji asked, turning his eyes towards the short girl and giving her a curious stare.

"I mean, it feels like we forgot something… or someone." Rukia brought a finger to her bottom lip as she thought about it. When she couldn't come up with anything, she looked up to her long-time friend for an answer. He simply shrugged.

"Well, whatever it is, it can't be too important since you don't remember right?" Renji suggested as Rukia thought about it.

"I suppose." Rukia stayed silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me sooner or later."

Renji nodded as they looked over Sereterei. It was already back to the way it was before the war. It was hard to believe that everything was over. Still, they didn't question it as Rukia and Renji enjoyed the peace, among many others. Things were finally looking up.

* * *

"Where have you been!"

"Gah!"

Ichigo found himself being tackled into a hug by one very anxious Kurono Kurumu. "You suddenly disappeared!"

"I-I was speaking with the headmaster." He replied as the tips of his ears turned red. Man was she soft… especially in those _places_. No! Ichigo was not a dirty man!

"You shouldn't worry your girl like that Ichigo." Tsukune pitched in as he shook his head. Ichigo sent the boy a sharp look which Tsukune replied with a sheepish grin. "Just sayin'…"

"So, have we found anything new?" Ichigo asked after the moment passed and Kurumu had unglued herself from him. She still stayed by his side, opting to not let him leave again if she could help it.

"He's fast, probably faster than Gin-sempai." Yukari spoke up, "No one has been able to catch him."

Gin huffed. "No one is faster than me." Ichigo sent him a look. "Besides Ichigo that is."

Yukari shook her head. "No one is faster than you when you're underneath moonlight. There are probably people faster than you during the day Gin-sempai."

Gin frowned, not liking that the little girl had reduced his greatness so easily. "Whatever…"

"So how are we going to find him?" Mizore asked, continuing on to the main topic at hand.

"Well, since he's been writing graffiti on the walls, we just have to catch him while he's doing it right?" Moka said as everyone nodded. Now the problem was trying to figure out where he would strike next. This sent everyone into a thinking mode for a while as they conversed. So far, all the places had been on walls outside the school building where it could be seen by everyone. This 'graffiti demon' had yet to write inside the school or any other building. He seemed to focus mainly on places where the students would congregate.

"He's already written on most of the school walls. Where else does that leave him?" Moka looked at everyone as they thought about it. It was Ichigo who surprisingly answered.

"The roof maybe?" Everyone thought about this and it did seem to make sense. It was high and slanted, and if big enough letters were written on it, the message could seen even from very far away.

"Then I propose Ichigo to take care of it." Gin spoke up, earning looks from the group.

"Just Ichigo?" Kurumu asked, frowning at being separated from Ichigo yet again.

Gin nodded. "That's right, I still need everyone to work on the newspaper, and we need to clear our name if we don't want to be suspended."

Kurumu wanted to protest, but Ichigo put a hand on a shoulder as she turned to face him. "It's alright Kurumu, I'll be back before you know it." Kurumu's features relaxed a bit as she smiled.

They stared at each other for a moment before Ichigo heard Tsukune whisper, "This is the part where you _kiss_ her."

Ichigo blushed as he glared at the boy, who shrunk back to Mizore's side. Then he turned back to Kurumu, who actually seemed to be expecting a kiss if the way her eyes were closed and lips were puckered were anything to go by. He gulped as he felt everyone's eyes on him as a bead of sweat rolled down his face. Before he knew it, he was already turning around and heading to the rooftops.

"I'll see you guys later." He said quickly before he disappeared using Shunpo. A few people in the group couldn't help but chuckle. Even Moka let a small amused smile grace her lips. Kurumu smiled too, but she had really hoped he would've kissed her. But then she nodded to herself as she resolved to try even harder to get rid of Ichigo's fear of public affection!

* * *

Despite being far away from the group, Ichigo could still feel the heat in his face. He sighed as he palmed his face. Why was he so embarrassed when it came to public affection? He was alright when the moments were more… intimate. Well, more private at least. Kurumu had even referred to him as a sweet talker at those times, which brought a smile to his face. Still, why was it he couldn't even do anything simple like hugging her in public?

He shook his head. He should probably be more focused on trying to catch this delinquent. Minutes passed as Ichigo waited patiently for the 'graffiti demon' to make his appearance.

"Dammit this is taking too long!"

Or maybe not so patiently.

It seemed his wish was granted when he heard a humming, indicating that he was not alone. There, on the other side of the guardrail on the slanted rooftop was the graffiti demon, or at least he hoped so. His suspicions were proved correct when he pulled out a spray paint can and started drawing on the rooftop. Ichigo got up and walked over to the delinquent who spray-painted to his heart's content.

"You shouldn't be doing that." Ichigo told the boy, who merely grinned at him.

"What, don't tell me you're _for_ this crap? You'd think a monster as strong as you would be against this co-existence shit." The figure continued spray painting even as Ichigo drew closer. Just when Ichigo was about to put a hand on his shoulder, the figure disappeared with a blur and was behind Ichigo, spray painting the area where he had been standing.

"You can't stop me. I'm the fastest there is." The boy grinned again as he stopped painting. Ichigo turned around to face the boy once again, who much to his surprise, Ichigo didn't look very shocked. For that matter, he looked irritated.

"You're not scared of my speed?" He said in amused tone. "Interesting."

"What would be 'interesting' is if you stop this. I don't want my group being expelled because of people like you." Ichigo's tone was rough, and the boy knew that Ichigo was the no-nonsense type.

Guess he would have to take care of him.

"Fine then." He said as his feet turned into bone-like skates that had wicked curves on the bottom and at the ends. "I guess you'll have to stop me huh?"

Like before, the boy disappeared in a blur of motion. He stopped just behind Ichigo, intending to deliver a fatal kick with his razor sharp blades that would've decapitated Ichigo. As previously mentioned, they _would've_ decapitated Ichigo had he been anyone else. By the time the boy thought of trying to attack, Ichigo had already whirled around and had enough time to grab the blades, much to the boy's shock and horror. What was worse was that Ichigo hoisted him so now his hands were dangling below. All the blood was rushing to his head as he was at Ichigo's mercy hanging upside-down.

Even so, he tried running the blade of his other foot, the one Ichigo _didn't_ have a hold of, into Ichigo's skull. He would've found it funny the way it literally just _clinked_ on Ichigo's skull with a dull thump had it not been for the severity of his position. That and the fact that he could see an angry tic mark appear on Ichigo's face was enough to make him scared.

"That's _it!_" Ichigo balled his fist and with as little force as he could muster, he punched the boy in the stomach. It seemed those lessons with Tsukune seemed to be paying off because this time he only managed to knock the boy unconscious instead of flinging him across the rooftops. The boy hung like an upside-down ragdoll, limp and unmoving. In all seriousness though, when were they going to learn that frontal assaults like this would never work on him?

"Glad to see everything turned out alright Kurosaki Ichigo." Said person turned around to see the looming and grinning form of the headmaster, whose white robes flowed behind him despite there being no wind.

"Yea. This is the guy who was writing all those message." Ichigo said as he lifted the vandal by the foot. The headmaster's grin simply widened.

"I can already feel my headache disappearing." The headmaster then gestured and two men from earlier that had brought in Ichigo moved out to secure the delinquent.

"So do I have to go join the committee right now?" Ichigo asked.

The headmaster gave him a stare that made Ichigo feel as if he was reading his thoughts on his forehead or something. "For your actions here, I think I can allow some leeway."

"Gee, I'm glad you're so generous." Ichigo muttered sarcastically, only further increasing the headmaster's secretive grin.

"So long Kurosaki Ichigo." The headmaster said before he left. Ichigo did the same as he opted to jump from the rooftop instead of taking the stairs.

They were overrated for him anyway.

* * *

"Hey, Ichigo is back!" Said person walked up to the group and almost immediately Kurumu stuck to his side. He was about to sigh, but her kind smile made him stop before it could escape. It sure seemed like things had quickly progressed since they shared their first kiss. Not to say he didn't enjoy it… but it was a tad bit uncomfortable at times.

"Alright, now that you're here, we need to finish this paper already." Gin said as he handed a stack of papers to Ichigo. "Just because you almost always finish first doesn't mean you get to slack off."

Once everything settled down, they all got back to work. They needed to have everything fully updated, especially with the Festival just around the corner. Even so, he would catch Kurumu occasionally sneaking a peek at him, which he found rather strange. Something was on her mind, and she was actually keeping it to herself.

"Something up?" He asked while he continued working.

He could tell she was shocked that he had noticed… which left him a bit indignant. He might've been dense, but he wasn't entirely blind!

"Yea, everything is alright I guess, other than the fact that we're constantly being attacked." She replied as she finished pasting a picture of her recipe a little to the left of the actual recipe.

"That is getting pretty annoying." He agreed. A moment of silence passed before Kurumu spoke up again.

"So, what exactly did the headmaster tell you?" She asked, curiosity evident in her features if not a little bit of concern.

Ichigo debated on telling her anything at the moment. Currently they were outside and though they were both working in their own little 'corner,' there was still a chance of eavesdropping. "Well, can I tell you that later?"

"Will you allow me in your room?" She asked in a slightly teasing tone. This however, was still enough to get Ichigo's ears red.

"If you promise you won't do anything… well… you know." Oh how Kurumu loved it when Ichigo was being shy and bashful! It was always adorable to her, especially when he wouldn't meet her eyes. Still, she loved teasing, and she would take the chance whenever it presented itself.

"No, I don't know. What do you mean by 'you know'?" Kurumu feigned ignorance and judging by the embarrassed scowl, if that was possible, Ichigo knew she was teasing him.

"Oh come _on!_" Ichigo's exasperation was clearly evident in his voice, but Kurumu ~

"I know I know, I'm just messing with you." Kurumu replied as it looked like Ichigo was about to slam his head on the desk.

Ichigo sighed before he looked at her. "I know. Just not used to it I guess." He was then pleasantly surprised when Kurumu grabbed his arm and held on to it as she leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"That's another thing I like about you actually. You don't get into the physical things right away." This confused Ichigo a bit.

"If you knew I didn't, then why were you in my room all those times…"

"What!" Both Ichigo and Kurumu jumped when the rest of the group had yelled in unison, minus Moka. Ichigo took note that she seemed to have rather serious expression on her face. But the thought was pushed to the back of his head when the rest of the group closed in on them.

"What do you mean 'in my room'?" Gin asked suspiciously as he eyed the Shinigami boy. "Have you guys…" Gin left it hanging, hoping Ichigo would figure it out. It seemed he did as one of those rare times where Ichigo's face turned red actually happened at that moment.

"No!" Ichigo yelled out rather vehemently.

"Ummm…" Ichigo looked down at the timid form of Yukari, "If you plan on it… can I join?"

"Gah?" Ichigo looked at her incredulously despite the way she was suddenly beaming up at him with a grin.

Gin gasped. "You child molestor! I'm going to turn you in to the authorities!"

"W-What? I haven't done anything!" Ichigo retorted, now getting mad.

"But you just accepted the advances of a child! You are despicable Kurosaki Ichigo!"

"The hell? I haven't accepted and I will never accept anything like that from Yukari!"

"What! Ichigo doesn't love me?" Gin and Ichigo paused their bickering to look at the saddened Yukari who had beads of tears at the corners of her eyes. When those tears were threatening to spill, Ichigo suddenly panicked.

"I… well… you're just a little kid… and you remind me of my sisters so I can't really think that way about you." He replied, hoping this reasoning would calm Yukari's nerves.

"You have sisters?" Gin quipped, earning a rather suspicious look from Ichigo, "Are they hot?"

He knew it.

"They're eleven…" Ichigo replied flatly, and didn't like the way how Gin was still staring at him.

"But are they hot?" A tic mark appeared on Ichigo's forehead after this as he grabbed Gin by the collar, causing the wolf to panic slightly.

"H-Hey man! I was just joking! I wouldn't do younger girls even if they were hot… maybe…"

"That's it!" And with a mighty heave, Ichigo threw the pervert across the dirt.

Mizore whistled. "He's got a good arm, I saw him skip at least eight times."

Tsukune sweat-dropped. "He wasn't skipping stones Mizore-chan…"

"So?" She replied as she continued sucking on her lollipop. Tsukune shook his head.

"Never mind." Mizore tilted her head at him curiously, but then shrugged.

Meanwhile, Kurumu was busy restraining Ichigo from beating the hell out of Gin… again. If it wasn't for the fact that Ichigo would've happily carried out the beating, the scene actually looked rather comical with a short girl trying to hold back a much taller, heavier built boy.

"We're in for some rather interesting days ahead aren't we?" Mizore asked Tsukune as he just finished writing in his notepad.

"As if they weren't already."

"True." They both looked on as Kurumu finally managed to placate Ichigo, who was still looking rather irritated.

"I swear, I'm going to rip off his tail and feed it to him one day." Ichigo muttered beneath his breath.

Kurumu patted his shoulder gently as she replied, "Wouldn't we all?"

* * *

Later, after everything had settled down and Gin's arm had been put in a cast, everyone packed up and got ready to leave. Soon two figures were seen walking close together.

"Can we talk right now?" Kurumu lifted her head to look at her taller boyfriend. Ichigo looked around to see if it was okay to do so, even going so far as to stretch his senses even if he knew he was bad at…

"Whoa…" Ichigo's voice rang out with a sense of awe which made Kurumu give him a curious look.

"What is it?" She asked when he just stood there like a statue. When he finally returned back to reality, he looked at her with widened eyes.

"I can sense things better!" Was his reply, earning a quizzical look from the bluenette. Ichigo realized her confusion and simply shook his head. "Ah, it's nothing. I've been doing some training and now I can sense things better."

"You couldn't before?" She asked.

"No… I was… blind. I couldn't really sense anything specific, just general things." He was really going to have to test this new-found ability out. It probably wasn't as sharp as most Shinigami's, but that was alright with him. Any improvement was better than none.

Kurumu smiled at him, liking the way his face seemed to light up like a kid who had found a new toy. Though, she wouldn't tell him since he would probably end up scowling again. "I see." She said before deciding to change the subject to more pressing concerns, "So what did the headmaster talk to you about?"

"Well, he basically asked me to be a spy for him." He replied earning a shocked stare from his girlfriend.

"You? A _spy?_" Her highly disbelieving tone slightly irked Ichigo.

"What, you don't think I could be?" He retorted as he looked at her. He didn't like that smile that was on her face…

"Well… if I have to answer… no." Ichigo felt like palming his face, but decided against it.

"Why not?" As if to reply, Kurumu gestured towards Zangetsu that was behind his back. Ichigo let out a small 'oh' and looked away as he scratched his head. Touché.

"Well, anyways, I'm going to join the committee to find out who it is." He continued, "Once I find out, I'm supposed to bring him to the headmaster."

"Oh." Ichigo looked at his girlfriend when she went quiet.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

Kurumu shrugged, but he could tell she was a bit downcast. "Well it means you're going to be extra busy and probably won't have time to go to the club."

"…and?" Ichigo asked, feeling a bit wary when she gave him a disbelieving look. He really could be so bright at times, then so dense.

"We won't be together as often."

Ichigo was about to shake his head and was about to say that they would still have lunch and classes together when suddenly his father's words rang in his head_. "When a girl expresses her undying love for you in the form of concern, be not shy my Ichigo and comfort her with your manly, or in your case, twig-like arms and be her SOLACE!"_

Granted, those words had been said when he was only eleven. Even then he knew how insane his dad was and had clocked him afterwards. This is to say, he was surprised that despite his father's clear insanity that he had actually given him good advice at the time. Of course, at the time he had thought that Ichigo and Tastuki were going to get married. Stupid goat beard…

Now as he turned to look as his girlfriend's face, he wondered how exactly he would comfort her. Suddenly and idea hit him, one that wasn't exactly his own and he mentally frowned. Seeing as he couldn't really think of any other options, he decided to go with it. But for a brief moment, he thought about how amazing it was one person could change their mind when they had someone to care for romantically.

"I… understand." He said, earning a surprised, but clearly pleased look from Kurumu.

"Really?" He nodded as he took a breath, hoping he wouldn't regret his decision.

"Once I get the times I'll be working at the committee… I'll tell you and then we can meet up in… in…"

"In…?" Kurumu coaxed anxiously. Somehow, she had a feeling of where this was going and it made her heart beat excitedly. And judging from the look on Ichigo's face, he knew that she knew. And judging from her look, he knew that she knew about him knowing. And from the look on Kon's face... wait, what?

Finally, Ichigo gulped and he pulled on his collar to alleviate some of the heat that was stockpiling from the embarrassment. "We can… meet up in my… my room…Yea…" Ichigo closed his eyes, awaiting for the inevitable tackle and all the amazing softness that came along with it.

It came, minus the tackle. He opened one eye, then the other to find Kurumu snuggled happily against his chest. He blinked before she spoke up, "Does this mean you trust me?"

"Well, yea. As long as you don't do anything… you know…" Ichigo mentally slapped himself as he realized there was only one reply she would come up with at the moment.

"Alright, I won't do anything to break your trust."

Somehow… that had not been the reply he was expecting. This isn't to say it didn't make him happy. On the contrary, it relieved him immensely that she wouldn't try anything… you know…

And then feeling amazingly courageous… Ichigo bent down and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. Even though no one was around, that he could sense, they were still in public and he was of course, afraid of public affection.

"Why are you so silly?" She asked from his chest, which came out more of a murmur than anything else.

"What do you mean?" He asked as she pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"Because you're afraid of public affection even though we've already kissed and all that." Kurumu saw Ichigo give her a weak grin and couldn't help but shake her head.

"But don't worry," She said as she leaned in on her tiptoes, and in a low tone said, "I'll help you with that."

Ichigo's mind nearly went blank, as did Kurumu's when they shared a blissful kiss with each other. They became fully aware of each other, nothing else existed. Hesitant hands stretched out as Ichigo wrapped her in a tight hug. It was at these times he would lose all inhibitions and go with the flow. Kurumu was immensely thankful for this as she felt his large and warm hands glide against her back, unintentionally making her gasp into the kiss. This only seemed to fuel Ichigo's fervor as she explored more of her delicate frame before curving her hips. She couldn't help it as she released a soft moan when Ichigo decided to rub her stomach, where an intense heat seemed to be coiling up. Unfortunately for her, this seemed to snap him out of his daze as he pulled back, suddenly red in the face.

"S-Sorry!" He apologized as he grabbed his head, feeling that if he didn't it would fly off.

"I didn't mind Ichigo." Her soft voice made Ichigo look at her before turning away. The way she was standing, looking at him with those intense violet eyes was making him want to do things he would never normally consider.

It was a that precise moment that Ichigo reached an epiphany… and that was that all women were hazardous to his health!

"I know…" He muttered beneath his breath before shaking the fog from his mind.

Kurumu smiled as she leaned and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. "I'll… see you tomorrow." She said, earning a quizzical look from a still-red-in-the-face Ichigo.

"I thought you wanted to talk?"

"I already got what was off my chest, "She smiled serenely at him, which intensified his blush, "and more." She winked at him before waving him goodbye.

"See you tomorrow Ichigo!" She said before turning around and walking towards her dorm, humming a happy tune as she did so.

Ichigo couldn't keep his eyes from following her until she disappeared. Ichigo took in a deep breath before releasing it in a rather shaky exhale. Despite this, he walked back to his own dorm with an uncharacteristic grin plastered on his face.

**_'Tch. Idiot doesn't realize how bad he has it for her.'_**

**_'Agreed.'  
_**


	33. Decision

**Quick note, in case anyone actually pays attention to my Author Notes. The poll is closed now and here are the top three choices in order.**

**1 Action  
2 Innerspeak (Hichi/Zang)  
3 Dialogue**

**I will focus on these as much as I can, but for the moment mainly dialogue because as you all know, there isn't much action till the actual festival starts. **

**Oh! People have been telling I've forgotten about Moka… which is sorta true. I'll try to get her more involved. Didn't mean for her to be a 'third wheel' as someone reviewed. I guess I just have trouble juggling relationships. My bad, hopefully I've fixed it fairly well in this chapter. Tell me what you think.**

**Also, how should I add the Innerspeak? Like when should they speak? Just in general, or in critical moments? I haven't exactly thought about that.

* * *

**

A building stood in the background, a dark and looming presence seemingly hanging over it as lightning shined across blackened clouds. Yet they did not make any noise.

And this bothered Ichigo very much.

"How the hell do I get caught up in these things?" Ichigo wondered out loud. He knew that monsters had their… unique taste… but how could they possibly have added in the lightning? It just didn't make sense!

He scratched the back of his neck, feeling tension coiling there as he tried to massage it. He looked at the map in his other hand, wondering for a brief moment of the possibility that he had made a mistake and had ended somewhere else.

No such luck. He was right where the map told him the building should be. There was no mistake. He had arrived.

"Great." He uttered as he looked over the building one last time. Then he heard footsteps and turned to face them.

"Ah, you are Kurosaki-san correct?" As the figure approached, Ichigo noted that this person was taller… _much_ taller than he was. This fact, however, flew over his head when he noticed something that made his stomach churn as a familiar feeling of dread overwhelmed him.

"Something the matter?" The figure smiled at him, friendly eyes shining through rectangular glasses. His face would've been considered handsome by most girl's standards. For all intents and purposes, this person reminded Ichigo of Aizen. And that was never a good thing.

"Not really, who are you?" Ichigo said, his tone slightly harsh and guarded as he replied. The eyes of the tall boy widened, seemingly taken back by Ichigo's sharp tone.

"Did I do something wrong? I am sorry if I upset you." The boy apologized, giving that disarming smile that definitely reminded him of Aizen.

"As if." Ichigo muttered, and thankfully the other boy didn't seem to hear as he just looked at Ichigo curiously.

"Well, anyways, follow me inside Kurosaki-san and I will introduce you to the rest of the members." The boy gestured Ichigo to follow, which he did.

Something definitely wasn't right with this character and Ichigo was going to find out what it was.

* * *

Kurumu sighed as she let the pencil in her hand fall to the desk. She let out a frustrated sigh as she placed her head on her desk. "Man! It's going to be lonely without Ichigo!" She whined as a pout crossed her lips.

Mizore nodded as the sulking girl in understanding. "It's always fun watching you try to molest him."

Kurumu had the decency to flush as she stared at the snow-girl. "I do _not _molest him." She scowled slightly at the girl despite her blush. Tsukune took note of this in his handy notebook. It seemed traits were already being shared between Ichigo and Kurumu, interesting development!

"That's not what he told me." She replied cooly, not backing down beneath Kurumu's sudden glare. Tsukune shook his head as the inevitable happened.

"He's _told _you things?" Kurumu was now practically face-to-face with Mizore as Tsukune stared at them. Great, a fight was underway as the girls began bickering. He wished they didn't fight, he found it needless... even if it _was_ funny at times. Almost as if his wish had been granted, the door flew open and in came Gin, semi-transformed.

"My girl-on-girl senses are tingling!" He yelled into the room to find Kurumu and Mizore practically wrestling with each other. They paused mid-fight and turned to launch an offensive against the perverted wolf, calling a temporary truce. Almost instantly the wolf was hammered by two first by either girl, sending him flying backwards and taking the door with him. They turned to each other and nodded, a satisfactory look on both their faces.

At that moment both Moka and Yukari poked their heads in the now door-less room. "I wonder how the school manages to fix everything." Yukari said to no one in particular as she and Moka finally walked in.

"Hey guys." Tsukune greeted them, a bit relieved that this distraction helped end the temporary feud between his girlfriend and Kurumu. In truth, Ichigo hadn't said anything. Mizore had just been pushing Kurumu's buttons.

"Hey, is everyone ready for the festival?" Moka spoke up in a slightly cheery tone. This turned a few heads as a couple the group turned to look at the smiling Moka.

"You seem happy today Moka." Kurumu stated as she put a hand on hip.

Moka merely nodded. "Yea, I've been a bit hesitant, but I finally have the resolve to go through with my decision." She said as she eyed Kurumu who got the message. Everyone else seemed confused since they didn't know what was going on.

"Huh, good to hear I guess." Kurumu smiled, but it wasn't full of mirth like her normal one. Sure she knew it wasn't going to work. But that was the reason she was feeling a bit guilty. She _knew_ Ichigo wouldn't accept and so she had taken the easy way out by telling Moka to go ask Ichigo instead of giving Moka an honest answer. It seemed her decision was coming to bite her in the ass. And even though she _knew _Ichigo wouldn't accept, she couldn't help but feel a little doubt. What if he did? Then what?

Kurumu blinked as she forced herself to the present, pushing the thought to the back of her mind. When the time came, she would do something about it… hopefully. Now though, it was time to get to work as Moka pulled out a stack of papers from a box in the back of a room. Those papers contained a list of all the rides, games, foods, events, and anything festival related in the human world. And now... they needed to report on it. Kurumu gulped. It looked like they were going to be here a while.

* * *

Ichigo entered what looked to him like some Basilica-styled structure. The roof was wide and dome-shaped as pillars rested around a circular table with nine people occupying seats. It was rather grandiose and he couldn't help but wonder if the person who built this place had a big ego.

"Come enter Kurosaki-san." The boy that led him earlier gestured towards the circular table, "They are the committee members specially gathered for this school festival."

Ichigo took a look around… and nearly face-vaulted. As he took a closer look at the "members", he noticed how each one looked… rather unique. One of them was a strong, burlesque-looking man with "sharp" hair and mean eyes. Another one had a wicked smile that stretched form ear-to-ear and pupil-less eyes. He wore a pair of leather straps over his bare chest as a sort of makeshift shirt. The others… he didn't even bother to try and describe since they looked like they belonged in some institution deep underground.

"How is it? Are you relieved they looked dependable?" The tall boy smiled at Ichigo, whose eye twitched rather violently.

'_Dependable? Are you freaking kidding me!'_ Is what Ichigo wanted to say, but refrained from doing so. Suddenly there was movement and Ichigo looked to his left. He noticed that all the people, including the ones that seemingly looked dead, were starting to get up. They all turned to face his general direction before bowing. In unison, they said, "Thank you for your hard work President!"

Ichigo blinked before turning to the person to his right. Said person looked at Ichigo with an apologetic smile before saying, "Ah… I haven't introduced myself. I am the president of this committee, Kaneshiro Hokuto. Nice to meet you Kurosaki-san."

More than ever Ichigo felt the urge to call him Aizen.

* * *

"Everyone, the committee will begin now!" Hokuto bellowed and everyone listened. Almost like a military-trained group, they all sat down in unison. Ichigo was the only one still standing as he ungraciously took a seat after everyone else had done so. How embarrassing…

"He has good leadership skills eh?" Ichigo blinked as a voice spoke to him from his left. A student with long, greasy-looking hair that was rather unkempt stared at him… at least… Ichigo _thought_ he was. He seemed to be permanently squinting so he couldn't tell.

"A genius, intelligent, and good with Martial Arts," The student continued, "talented, decisive, trusted by teachers. Actually most of the committee members were gathered by Hokuto-san. This is enough to show his charisma." Ichigo wondered who he was talking about before he realized that he was talking about Hokuto

Ichigo stared at said person for a brief moment while Hokuto explained how the festival was going to go down before turning back to Mr. squinty eyes. Before he could reply, the boy asked, "Speaking of which, what's your reason for joining?"

"Huh?" Ichigo was caught off-guard by the question… and he really couldn't say he was here to be a spy for the headmaster.

"Eya… I ask because there's been a lot of strange rumors recently." He explained.

"Rumors?" Ichigo repeated, not knowing what this person was getting at. Suddenly Hokuto's loud voice boomed over their conversation, effectively ending it.

"Okay! Let's proceed to the next topic! How to deal with 'Antithesis.'" This got the attention of everyone present as all ears seemingly perked up to see what their leader would say, "I believe everyone knows, there is a group called Antithesis that opposes the school as well as interfering with our efforts in organizing the school festival!"

His voice then became low and grave as he continued. "Besides Antithesis, students are more violent than before and because of that, students have died!" Suddenly his voice rose as passion seemed to flow out of his tone as he slammed the table with his hands, "But listen to me everyone! We _cannot_ allow this to carry on! We must END this inglorious era! I sincerely want the school to change! One day… it will achieve real peace… thus, we cannot back down from Antithesis! We must stand firm and do well in organizing this school festival which symbolizes peace!"

Finally Hokuto stopped and seemed to pause in order to regain his breath. He truly looked like he had exerted himself in making that speech. Ichigo looked around and noted how everyone was captivated to the point of nearly drooling. It was… sickening. He hoped to all hope that this person wasn't like Aizen. But judging from the little gestures, the faint twitch of a smile, he almost seemed like an exact clone of his worst enemy.

Finally the meeting adjourned and they all left.

* * *

"Oi! Wait up Ichigo!"

Ichigo stopped as he saw Mr. squinty eyes walking towards him. He grinned as he gave Ichigo a friendly wave. "We're going the same direction so let's walk together." He said as he finally caught up to Ichigo.

Ichigo looked at him, shrugging as a reply. "My name is Ueshiba Mizuki. You can call me Mizuki. Nice to meet you Ichigo!"

After the brief introduction, they got back to walking and while Ichigo had yet to reply, Mizuki still kept on talking until finally he asked Ichigo a question. "Attending the meeting for the first time, what are your thoughts? Any problems?"

"He's alright." Ichigo lied, "He seems to have the school's heart in his best interests."

Mizuki looked at him curiously through squinting eyes for a brief moment. "It seems you don't like him all too much."

Ichigo was rather surprised he found out he was lying, but then again he never was one to lie. Ichigo simply shrugged. "Something about the way he talks bothers me."

"Does it make you want to get rid of him?" Mizuki asked rather ominously, which made Ichigo pause in step as he turned to face him. There was no expression on Mizuki's face save for an expressionless stare.

"No… why?" Now he was on-guard as this Mizuki person suddenly seemed suspicious in his eyes.

"Iya… Didn't I say there was a rumor?" Mizuki said as he lifted a finger, suddenly grinning, "The rumor is that there's a mole in our committee."

"Yea, I heard about it too." Ichigo replied cautiously. He couldn't be too sure because after all, this guy might be the mole everyone is talking about. The way Mizuki was staring rather seriously at him was making him wonder if he was right. If he was, then he was going to have to turn him in. Though Mizuki didn't notice, Ichigo was already positioning himself into a fighting position.

Suddenly Mizukie gave a childish grin that caught Ichigo off-guard. "Sorry about that," Mizuki said as he apologized, "for a moment I thought you were the spy since you didn't seem to like Hokuto too much."

Ichigo then realized that Mizuki had actually been studying _him_ as well. He mentally shook his head. He told himself that he should be less paranoid around others.

"I didn't say that…" Ichigo replied as he regained his composure, "I just said I didn't like the way he speaks."

Mizuki gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "You're too stiff. If you're always picky about the little things, you won't make many friends." He said as Ichigo gave him a flat look. Well, at least it seemed this guy seemed innocent.

"Sorry to have suspected you, don't take it to heart!" He chuckled as he began to walk away, "besides, you can always take care of them like before."

Ichigo's eyes suddenly widened as he stopped Mizuki with his voice. "What do you mean 'like before'? I've never mentioned to anyone that I've clashed with antithesis."

Ichigo whirled around to face Mizuki, but he had disappeared. Ichigo looked around and couldn't find him anywhere. Then an idea hit him, this was a perfect chance to see how much his sensory abilities had improved. He closed his eyes and stretched out his senses. Finally he actually found Mizuki's presence… and it seemed to be right below him. Ichigo quickly sidestepped in time to see a body that seemed to have been wrung like a towel pop out from the ground. A vicious, elongated face stared at him as a stretched out body seemed to squirm out of the dirt.

"I planned to get more information about the school before killing you. Damn." Mizuki cursed his bad luck before going below once again, disappearing from view. Again Ichigo reached out with his senses, finding Mizuki like before. He timed it right and moved out of the way just as Mizuki came tearing from the ground. Mizuki was highly surprised when Ichigo caught him by the hand _and_ neck at once. His earthworm-like body was plucked from the ground in one swift movement as Ichigo body slammed the delinquent onto the hard dirt.

Mizuki grunted as pain shot through his body. When he opened his eyes, he was confronted with the harsh stare of one Kurosaki Ichigo who stood over him like a predator. It seemed the rumors about him being insanely strong had not been a lie. "W-What are you?" Mizuki asked.

"He's a member of the committee." Ichigo looked up to see Hokuto walking towards them. He had a saddened look that seemed to be pitying Mizuki. It was all of course, fake, as Ichigo knew without a doubt.

"So he's the mole? I had no idea, I'm sorry about this attack Kurosaki-san." Hokuto bled honesty into his tone and seemed truly sorry.

"I'm sure you are, especially since you're the only one who 'happened' to arrive the moment I defeat the 'mole.'" Ichigo confronted the leader, and was surprised to see Hokuto keep his cool. It seemed he really bore a strong resemblance to Aizen.

"I was on my way to my dorm as well Kurosaki-san, so I'm sorry if it seems a bit suspicious." Hokuto gave that apologetic smile once again as Ichigo stared the man down. The urge to kick his ass was definitely there, but he couldn't do anything about it without any evidence unless he wanted to be pegged as the bad guy here.

"I get it, just on your way, sure, whatever." Then he grabbed Mizuki and threw him over his shoulder. "In the meantime, I'm going to turn him in. Later." Before Hokuto had time to say anything, Ichigo used Shunpo and was gone.

Hokuto adjusted his glasses, the light reflecting off them and obscuring the menacing eyes behind the lenses. "It seems he's going to give me more trouble than I had anticipated."

* * *

"What do you mean he's of no use?" Ichigo said, nearly slamming his hands on the desk of the headmaster, "Didn't you tell me there was a mole? Isn't he the one?"

The headmaster would not stop with his grinning, despite the boy's clear annoyance with it. "You need to see things past their appearances. Don't you see your opponent's heart when you fight them?"

Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "Well, it wasn't really a fight."

The headmaster nodded. "Exactly."

Ichigo was about to ask what he meant by that before he got it. The mole was the lowest of the low, so it didn't matter if he got captured or not. Ichigo sighed as he placed a hand over his face. "So, tell me I at least did something."

"That you did. My suspicions about Hokuto seem almost justified now. There's not enough evidence though, but it is some progress." The headmaster told Ichigo, who nodded. "Continue working at the committee and maybe your presence will alter the plans of Antithesis."

Ichigo understood and didn't need to be told again. He bid the headmaster farewell and turned to leave.

* * *

Ichigo felt surprise register on his face when he saw Moka waiting for him outside. "Umm… hey." Ichigo's shock seemed apparent as Moka smiled at him before approaching him.

"Hey, this seems surprising doesn't it?" Moka admitted as Ichigo came to stand right beside her.

"Yea," He stared at her smiling face, "So what's up?"

"Nothing… well…" Moka blushed as she took in a breath. Maybe it was too soon to talk about it. Ichigo noticed her silence and figured it could only mean one thing.

"Don't tell me… you're hungry aren't you?" His serious look made Moka realize that he wasn't joking. He actually believed that's what she had come for.

"W-What?" Moka stammered, not expecting this response… all though in all honesty she probably should've.

"If you're hungry, you could've just said so you know. I don't want you to starve to death." Ichigo's concern made her blush intensify as she reached around herself in a sort of self-hug.

"I'm not hungry…" She was interrupted by a growl that came from her stomach. Oh yea, it had already been four days since her last feed...

Ichigo shook his head at her stubbornness. Still, it was odd that she hadn't said anything earlier. Now that he thought about it… she hadn't said much to anyone. And now, Ichigo felt like slapping his face. He had been so absorbed by Kurumu and all these events that he hadn't been paying attention to Moka.

"Well… I guess I am a little bit hungry." She turned to him, but then shook her head. This was not what she had come for.

"Something the matter?" He asked upon noticing her serious gaze. Well, as serious as Moka could get.

Moka's shoulders tensed a bit as she folded her hands in front of her lap. She could feel the doubt inside of her building up again, even after she had resolved to tell him her feelings… again. She had to admit, he was thick-headed, but it seemed that it all went away once he had someone special since he didn't act so thick-headed around Kurumu. Hopefully… she could also be someone special to him.

She took in a breath as she prepared herself. "Actually… I was wondering if you've give it some thought."

Ichigo arched an eyebrow at her cryptic statement. "Given what some thought?"

Moka's eyes widened ever so slightly. Despite the fact that she knew he wouldn't' have thought about it, it still stung just a little. "You know… about sharing?"

"Sharing what?" Ichigo paused as her eyes looked at his, pleading. It was making him worried that he had forgotten something important.

"Sharing…you." She replied, hesitation evident in her tone.

"Me?" He asked. And then he got it. "Wait, sharing me? As in… _sharing_ sharing?"

Moka let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Y-Yea…" She stammered, "Sharing yourself b-between me and Kurumu-chan." She paused to give him time to think about his response. When he didn't reply, Moka realized something. Moka took note that Ichigo's face had suddenly become impassive. She wondered what he was thinking about as he looked on ahead, not even trying to look her way. His eyes seemed hard as he stood still, and suddenly she panicked. She waved her hands in desperate arcs as she said, "A-Ah! N-Never mind! I was just kidding!"

She closed her eyes, hoping that she had salvaged their friendship at least. But when no answer came, she opened one eye to see what was going on. "Ichigo?" She asked as she took note of his empty look.

"Ichigo?" She asked again, still not getting a response. She even went as far as to snap her fingers in front of his face. Panic turned to concern as Ichigo would not react at all. Her panic grew all the more when she poked him to try to get a reaction only to have him fall backwards!

"Ahh! Ichigo!"

* * *

"The hell? Why are you telling me to accept?" Ichigo yelled at his Hollow, who grinned wickedly at him, not caring how mad his 'king' got.

"**Well I thought ya were a man 'kingy.' What kina man doesn't take an extra woman when he has a chance?"** He countered as Ichigo slapped himself in the face from sheer frustration.

"One with morals." He retorted, earning a shake of the head from his pale counterpart.

"**Screw morals. Yer just too much of a weak-ass to bang two girls at once."** At that remark, Ichigo turned a nice shade of red. Partly from anger, mostly from embarrassment.

"That doesn't have to do with anything!" He yelled back despite the snickering of his Hollow, "Anyway. Weren't you the one who called Kurumu our 'Queen'? Or did you change your mind?"

"**I haven't changed my mind. I just mean having a mistress wouldn't be too bad for ya either."** He sneered at Ichigo who had had enough of this and was now preparing for a fight. It was the only way to ever get this annoying person to shut up.

"That's not the way to treat girls!" His anger carried over in his voice as held his sword in front of him, pointing upwards. The Hollow grinned at Ichigo's pathetic attempt to intimidate him as he drew out his own version of Ichigo's sword.

**"Like hell you know anything about them. Ya actually prevented yerself from doing our Queen even though you damn well knew she was more than ready and willing!"** His sneer curved upwards into a malicious grin as he too prepared himself for a fight.**  
**

"We're not old enough!" He yelled at the increasingly annoying monstrosity.

His Hollow merely chuckled cruelly. **"You can never start too early kingy."**

Ichigo gripped his sword as his face tightened into a menacing scowl. His Hollow merely grinned back at him, not giving a shit about what his king thought about him. No other words were exchanged as the two flew at each other, intending to prove the other they were right. Before their swords clanged however, they disappeared, sending them both careening into each other headfirst. A loud 'thwack' was heard as their skulls hit before the force sent them flying into opposing directions.

"**The hell?"** The Hollow growled as he took note that the sword was no longer in his hand.

"**Now's not the time to be fighting.****"** Zangetsu told both participants, who stared at him. **"****Moka is worrying outside Ichigo, and she's beginning to panic.****"**

"Crap! I forgot all about her!" Ichigo got up, forgetting about the pain throbbing in his head as he forced himself out of his mindscape.

"**Tch. Just as I was about to beat him senseless."** The Hollow muttered. Zangetsu made no reply as he merely looked onwards at seemingly nothing. He could feel something heading Ichigo's way, and whatever it was, he hoped Ichigo would be ready for it. The Hollow seemed to sense it too as his disappointment soon faded, waiting for that time where he would be set free.

* * *

Ichigo awoke to find himself nearly face-to-face with a freaked out Moka. Her emerald eyes were a light with panic as she constantly called out his name. Of course, the proximity startled him as he tried getting up only to manage to bump heads with Moka. Great, if it wasn't in his mindscape, then he was hitting his head in the real world as well.

"I'm glad you're awake!" Moka said, genuine concern in her voice as she rubbed her forehead.

"Yea, sorry about that." He apologized to Moka.

She shook her head as relief flooded into her. "It's alright… what I said was pretty startling I guess." She replied as she brought her legs close to her chest and hugged them. But this little action caused her panties to be seen by a certain shocked teen.

"M-Moka! Your skirt!" Ichigo yelled as he looked away. Moka looked down before realizing what he meant.

"Don't look!" She reflexively yelled out as she brought her legs to the ground and moved the fabric of her skirt between her legs. At the moment, she was absolutely horrified. Not only had he seen her panties… again… but he had seen her lucky ones. She just hoped that he didn't mention the pink stars on them… she would probably die if he did!

Both person's face were a light shade of red as the calamity died down. Slowly they turned to face each other, Moka ginning weakly as Ichigo massaged the back of his neck, a small frown on his face. "So…" Ichigo spoke up without actually saying anything.

"So… why did you space out like that?" She asked, hoping to get the topic as far away from her panties as possible. She unconsciously shifted her legs tighter around the fabric of her skirt.

Ichigo scratched his head, unsure of how to answer that. He couldn't just say that he was telling the voices in his head to shut up, no matter how true it was. "I get lost in thought sometimes… and that happens I guess." He hoped that was a good enough answer, and it wasn't a lie so he probably wouldn't be caught.

"Oh. That seems like a dangerous thing to do. What if you fall down a ditch?" Moka looked at him, still feeling the blush on her face. Luckily she was already calming down and Ichigo didn't seem too uncomfortable either. That was a relief!

Ichigo simply looked dumbfounded at her explanation. He could withstand forces that could tear cities asunder, and she was concerned that he would fall in a ditch? He shook his head… but that was Moka. Sometimes she would get concerned over little things. Silence overcame them as they looked at one another, unsure of what to say. Ichigo looked at her. He could clearly tell she was fidgety from the way she played with her skirt. She also seemed to want to say something judging from the way her lips would part every now and then. He wanted to sigh, but refrained from doing so. That might give Moka a negative impression that he was impatient with her. He didn't want her to think that, she was already stressed enough as is.

He looked away for a moment as he leaned his head back, gazing at the eternally dark sky. He frowned. That wasn't helping him any as he focused on the dead trees in front of him. Regardless, he assumed she still wanted an answer to her… earlier question. In truth, he already had his answer, but he just didn't know how to break it to her. He shook his head, feeling frustrated at the situation. He didn't want to hurt Moka's feelings, but he honestly didn't feel that way about her… how could he? The thought about being with two girl's at once… he could barely handle Kurumu by _herself!_ What would he do with two girls?

He mentally forced the manic voice inside of his head to be quiet. Whatever he would do with two girls if he had them, he would ever do _that_ with them!

Finally, deciding to get it over with, he turned to Moka. No words escaped his lips as she said, "I know."

Ichigo paused as confusion etched into his features. "Huh? You do?" Well that was definitely surprising.

Moka nodded. "If you had wanted to say yes, you would've done so a while ago." She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as she smiled, though he could tell it was force since the corners of her eyes didn't crinkle. That and just the feel of it seemed strained.

"I'm sorry." Ichigo apologized out of reflex before Moka shook her head.

"You don't need to. I somehow knew this was how it would happen." She unconsciously clutched her Rosario, which shined for a brief moment. It escaped Ichigo's sight though since he was more preoccupied with Moka.

Ichigo scratched his head, feeling angry at himself all of a sudden. "I'm sorry." He repeated, feeling as if he couldn't say it enough times. Why was he feeling so guilty? Emotions were a pain in the ass…

"I'm not sad though." Ichigo paused at those words as he looked at her once again. Ichigo's eyes widened, surprised to see her eyes vibrant. It was a complete turnaround from not just few moments ago. "At first, you weren't even thinking of going out with anyone, right?" She asked.

Ichigo nodded slowly as Moka continued, "Then Kurumu-chan came into your life and with her stubbornness, became your girlfriend." Again Ichigo nodded.

Moka smiled a small smile. "Well, maybe if I'm just as stubborn as her, maybe one day you'd be willing to share?"

Ichigo blinked dumbly, the tips of his ears turning red, unsure of what exactly had just transpired. It sounded to him like she wasn't going to give up. He frowned slightly as he voiced his opinion, hoping Moka wouldn't be too hurt. "I don't think I would lik…" He began, but was cut off.

"Because you haven't tried it yet. If you're willing to give it a change... I... I-I'm sure you'd like it." Moka looked down, feeling the blush burn at her cheeks. She had gained a spur of confidence all of a sudden, maybe because she had nothing else to lose, but now it was dwindling and she didn't know if she could say such embarrassing things anymore. She would have to wrap this up before she chickened out.

"So… what I'm trying t-to say is… wait for me Ichigo. I'll make your heart beat as well." With those final words, she got up and bowed towards Ichigo, who was still sitting on his butt, staring with astonished eyes.

"Please wait f-for me Ichigo. I'll be there soon." Unbending her frame, she turned and walked away, not daring to see behind herself what kind of expression Ichigo had on his face.

"Damn… I had no idea." Ichigo continued staring as he found himself looking at Moka's retreating frame. He frowned as he looked down, a pensive look o his face. Despite her words, he couldn't find it in his heart to even remotely feel the same way for Moka as he did for Kurumu. Yet she had claimed he would eventually do so. He vaguely wondered how she was going to accomplish this. Despite liking her as a friend, he just couldn't get used to the idea of being with her... that and he didn't think he could handle his blood being sucked out all the time. It was, dare he say, a turnoff for him. He rubbed his neck unconsciously in the spot she usually bit him at, feeling the ghost of a prick.

Ichigo sighed, but then paused as a shadow blocked out what little light there was in that gloomy area. Ichigo lifted his head in time to see Moka kneel down and lean in towards him. Before he could even react, Moka had already sunk her fangs into his neck after she had brushed his fingers out of the way. A slight of twinge of pain on his neck made him realize that she had come back for a quick meal. Now, that ghost of a pain seemed completely real. After she pulled away, he took note of the absolutely delighted look on Moka's face that always came when she drank her fill.

"Thank you so much! I really needed that too!" She smiled before looking at him intently. "The way you make me feel Ichigo… I will make you feel that way. It's a promise!" She giggled at Ichigo's blank expression before she left again, this time for good.

Ichigo frowned as he rubbed his neck over the tender spot. "She could've at least asked." He mumbled, then he remembered he had offered in the first place. Ichigo sighed for what seemed to be like the millionth time since he got there. Things really were getting to be too much for him... relationship-wise anyways. He'd rather be fighting. At least he knew when things were over after he defeated his opponent.

Still... he had to admit, he was kind of enjoying it here.


	34. Plan

**NOTE: This is over 10,000 words so it might take a while to read. Make sure you have the time if you want to read it all in one go. Not sure how long it takes to read that many, but then again I personally am a slow reader.**

**I added a little action scene, since some of you wanted one. Hopefully the serious action went smoothly and nothing seems to be **_**too**_** weird. Right now, I'm trying to make everything more realistic. I mean the drama and the romance between Ichigo and Kurumu. It wouldn't make sense if they never had any problems right? Rest assured, I won't do anything overly excessive. Just a few bumps here and there.**

**I'm trying to straighten things out, so tell me if I've missed something. I could really use the help at the moment. Also, the amount of time that passes before each transition might be confusing. But that's only because they never state it in the manga. Between pages, sometimes a week can pass by. It's not hard to catch, but it is hard to make it all work. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.**

**Again, there will be some awkward phrasing since the manga is still awkward in its speech at times. That and because I'm changing it to fit Ichigo and not Tsukune. I apologize for that, but rest assured, I tried my best.**

**This is the most I've written in the Author's Notes, so I hope **_**someone**_** at least pays attention to these other than the normal reviewers, though you guys have been a great help in inspiring me with new ideas! You know who you are, since you've been with me since practically the beginning of the story and even reviewed my other stories as well.**

**X X X X X X X X X**

Jealous stares glared at a certain orange-haired boy, who walked with two gorgeous girls on either side of him. One was the slender, beautiful Akashiya Moka, who was rumored to also be a fearsome Vampire when she wanted to be. She had gentle green eyes and a smile that most men would die to see directed towards them.

On the other side was the voluptuous curved-beauty known as Kurono Kurumu. Well known for her looks and generous bust, she prides herself for their softness, not their size. At one point she had nearly every single boy in the school underneath her whim. She would toy with any man she pleased and not care since there were always others willing to do her notions. Now, she was tied down and unavailable thanks to the jerk walking next to her. Somehow and someway, she had decided he was her Destined One.

Despite the two girls, most of the stares were directed towards the boy in the middle of the beauty sandwich. He always had a scowl on his face, and was rumored to be the strongest monster in the entire Academy. Though it wasn't yet a fact, mostly because arrogant monsters refused to admit it, it was quickly becoming one as he defeated anyone who came after him, time after time again. His personality was hard to decipher. Though showing little mercy towards his opponents, he shows immense care for his friends. Aside from this, no one else knew much about the trio.

The only thing the male population knew, however, was that they wanted to kick his ass.

"Attack!" Multiple monsters ambushed the group. Ichigo simply gestured for Moka and Kurumu to back up as they did so. The monsters congregated in front of Ichigo, forming a semi-circle. Sweat poured down some of the lesser monsters since they had heard that just his aura alone was enough to make them submit. But the stronger monsters had merely brushed it off as paranoia due to battle. Some grinned wickedly, hoping to make a meal out of this boy and teach everyone who was the strongest monster at the Academy.

His grin then became a mouth filled with broken teeth alongside a broken jaw. He was sent flying by a powerful uppercut from Ichigo. Most monsters took a few seconds to register what had happened since it had occurred so quickly, but by the time they realized the leader of the attack was knocked out, four more had fallen in quick succession by jabs, elbows to the stomach, and curiously what resembled a Falcon Kick.

The remaining five staggered backwards, quickly on the defensive. It was of little use as Ichigo Sunpo'd to the nearest one and tossed him to another. Now down to three, the few that were left cowered before the person's onslaught. Ichigo turned his eyes towards them, and before he could do anything about it, they ran away their literal tails between their legs.

Ichigo looked at their retreat, and couldn't help but wonder. Usually if he was with company, they would try to attack them too. This time however, they had only attacked him. This bothered him. That meant that he had been specifically targeted. This smelled like Hokuto, but like always, he didn't have any evidence to prove it. This was seriously Aizen all over again for Ichigo, and that was never a good thing.

"Wow, way to go Ichigo!" Kurumu came up behind her boyfriend and gave him a kiss on the cheek, which caused him to look away and blush. She giggled at his antics and proceeded to grab his arm and placed it neatly between her breasts.

"Oh come on!" Ichigo complained, despite the fact that he secretly enjoyed the softness of them. He just didn't like the fact that she did it so openly in front of everyone without a hint of embarrassment.

Moka took sight of this, and bit her lip in contemplation. It didn't last long, since she knew what she had to do already. Grabbing Ichigo's other arm, she placed it between her supple chest as well, earning shared looks of surprise and shock from both Kurumu and Ichigo. Her only response was to smile, a blush adorning her cheeks.

"Shall we get to class now?" She asked sweetly, tilting her head to the side. Ichigo blinked, still surprised by her actions, but then he could feel electricity in the air as he turned his head towards Kurumu, who was staring daggers at Moka.

"I'm not going to lose." Moka mouthed to Kurumu.

"Bring it." She replied back, leaving a very confused orange-haired boy out of the picture.

* * *

Somehow, he had managed to leave behind the two girls. As a man, and a late-bloomer, he was kind of happy that he had two girls fawning over him, or in their case, fighting. As Ichigo though, he couldn't help but feel aggravated by their actions. Ichigo was a man of peace, usually, and he liked it when things were quiet and not hectic. He sighed as he walked toward the main building of the school. Today, Hokuto was supposedly going to show him how the festival would be planned and what his job in it would be.

"Let's get this over with." Ichigo muttered as he walked with Hokuto down one of the long hallways in the upper stairway.

"I see that misunderstanding from earlier is still bothering you." Hokuto let a small frown slip onto his face, "Truly, I did not mean to question your trust. I will atone for it in any way possible, please believe me."

"So what do you want our group to do?" Ichigo replied in a way that ended any other attempt to get on his good side. Hokuto noted this and simply let a look of sadness hang on his face.

"Well, I would need your group to do the work they've always done." Hokuto said, "But I would also need you to look up on the customs of the human world. Students who have graduated from this Academy will be returning, and they will gauge how well our festival is. Not only that, but parents will be coming as well."

At that, Ichigo stopped, making Hokuto send him a questioning glance. "Did you say… parents?"

"I did." Hokuto nodded, "Why do you ask? Are your parents coming?"

"HELL NO!" Ichigo blurted out, causing all noise around him to abruptly stop. Dead silence hung in the air as every possible eye stared at him.

"Well, you'd be hard pressed to make them not come. The letters are supposed to be mailed today." Hokuto informed Ichigo, who turned many shades paler.

Before Hokuto could say anything else, Ichigo had dashed off to see the chairman. He didn't even bother to use the door, instead leaving a very Ichigo-shaped hole in the wall.

* * *

Back with the Newspaper Group, everyone minus a werewolf was busy with their work. Yukari was busy typing away. Her job was to transfer their written documents onto the computer. It worked well since surprisingly, she was the fastest typist of them all.

Moka was in charge of design for the newspaper. Whether it pertain to the colors, shapes, or even font, it was up to her. The pictures were also in her realm and she would resize them or choose a different one altogether as long as she saw it fit to as long as the she had permission to, depending on whose picture it was. Mostly it was Kurumu's pictures she could hardly, or ever change.

Kurumu was in command of data collection. Her job was to go around the entire school, which included the main building and outdoor buildings in order to collect information about what item each class would be doing. It was a big task, and she was glad it was over with for the moment as she opened the door, a heavy stack of newspapers in her grip.

"I've got the data! It took forever, but I managed somehow!" Sweat was dripping down the side of her head; all that running really wore her out. It didn't help that she had to fend off a few perverts and jealous girls along the way either. Despite the Ichigo fanclub being disbanded, there were a few members who would still congregate.

Moka flicked a strand of hair behind her as she turned to face Kurumu. "Oh great! If you can, could you introduce this with Gin-Sempai's "OB musician's live" piece?"

Kurumu placed the stack of papers on a desk, feeling tired. But she felt like she could handle that.

"I'm a bit swamped, so I was wondering if you could do some of the illustration and layout." She smiled at Kurumu, whose eyes widened significantly, "Make sure the layout is cute!"

Kurumu nodded slowly, about to go off to do said tasks when Moka spoke up again. "Oh! Don't forget to do the interviews as well…" Moka trailed off when she saw Kurumu fell backwards.

"AHHH! So busy!" Kurumu yelled out, flinging some of the papers as she stood up.

"That's counter-productive." Mizore pitched in as she caught some of the papers that came close to her.

"It's not my fault! I never knew that the workload would increase this much!" She protested childishly.

"Well, we do what we gotta do." Tsukune said, working on his article.

Kurumu sighed as she sat down in one of the desks. "You know, this would be a lot faster if Ichigo was here."

"I don't think so." Mizore reply, catching the Succubus's attention.

"How come?"

"If he were here, you'd be too busy trying to molest him." She plucked the lollipop from her mouth as she stared at Kurumu, whose mouth was open at the jab.

"Here we go again." Tsukune sighed, almost rolling his eyes.

"For the last time! I do _not_ molest him!" Kurumu strode up to Mizore, who stared calmly and calculatingly at the frustrated girl.

"Yes you do. He's always embarrassed that you do those things in front of everyone." She replied coolly.

Though Kurumu was ticked, she realized Mizore brought up a point whether she had meant to or not. He didn't voice it often, but she knew her actions did seem to put him off a bit. Though she didn't like to admit it, she knew how uncomfortable he was by her actions when he didn't look at her. She lied herself, saying that it was just him being shy. It was to the Yuki-Ono's amazement that Kurumu actually sighed and backed out of the argument.

"Yea, I guess you're right. I just don't see _why_ he gets so embarrassed. We _do_ kiss and hug in private." Mizore felt a little bad for the girl. She could practically hear the tightness in her voice. She had only meant to tease her, but it seemed she had hit an issue between them.

"I wonder if he's ashamed?" Kurumu found herself asking, feeling a little bit guilty for thinking that way. Mizore tilted her head, finding it surprising to see the normally peppy bluenette so… downtrodden.

"I don't think so." Mizore said, earning a curious look from Kurumu, "He's just not used to it. Tsukune was the same way, though not to the same extent."

"Eh? Really?" Kurumu was surprised to find that Mizore had gone through the same thing. After all, sometimes Mizore and Tsukune would do some… _daring_ things in public from time to time. Heck, she even caught them making out behind the soda machines at one point. Their excuses at the moment were that they had both lost their quarters and were looking for them.

Like_ that_ was believable…

Mizore nodded as she pointed to her boyfriend. "I couldn't get him to make out passionately with me."

Both Tsukune and Kurumu sweatdropped. "In my defense Mizore-chan, it was kind of a big leap to go from holding hands to making out."

Mizore turned to Tsukune and asked, "Why? We already made out before."

Tsukune coughed. "True… but we did that in private… and not in the middle of the cafeteria."

Mizore gave him an innocent look. "I was just telling all the girls to keep away from you."

"For one week straight?" Tsukune countered.

"Sure." Tsukune shook his head. Sometimes this girl was more than he could handle. He grinned… he absolutely _loved_ that part of her!

However, their little talk had given Kurumu some insight. It made her realize that if they had gotten over it, then she and Ichigo definitely could! She just guessed that she would have to take it slower from now on. She pumped her fist as she promised to restrain herself to merely holding hands… no matter how badly she wanted to feel Ichigo's manly body pressed against hers in a warm, tight embrace.

Everyone looked at Kurumu when she sighed contentedly, an unassuming blush on her face.

* * *

Somehow, Ichigo had managed to convince the headmaster not to mail the letter. He was now very appreciative of his ability to use Shunpo. Had he not had it, then the end of the world would've surely come knocking at his door...

And he above all knew how scary the end of the world by his dad was.

"Here, the information board for each class's item is done." Ichigo informed as he placed the giant poster onto the huge, round table in the room.

"Oh, it's done? That was fast Kurosaki-san." Hokuto approved of Ichigo's speed.

"Yea yea," Ichigo waved him off, earning a frown from Hokuto. Despite this, he did try to make casual conversation with the seemingly angry boy.

"What kind of item will your class be doing?" Hokuto asked.

"Goldfish scooping." Ichigo replied nonchalantly. Then he remembered what his sensei was like forgetting about this guy being Aizen for just a brief moment. "I'm actually wondering if sensei's going to eat the goldfish."

Hokuto nodded. That was the most Ichigo's talked continuously since their encounter a while back. Still, it was good enough for him since it meant Ichigo's guard would be down by that much. "I see. Well then, since today's work has ended, we should return to our classrooms."

"Alright." With that said, Ichigo turned to walk away, but not before Hokuto spoke up again.

"You've been a big help. You knew that the committee was a dangerous place, since it is being targeted by Antithesis, yet you stayed and helped out immensely. I thank you for providing your services in insuring that the festival becomes a huge success." Hokuto smiled warmly at Ichigo, who sent him a disinterested look.

"Sure, anytime." Ichigo replied before walking out of the room, picking up Zangetsu along the way. Hokuto's smile dropped and in place was a tight-lipped frown. This Ichigo person… he would really be a detriment to his plans.

He was going to have to do something about it.

* * *

Ichigo walked down the walkway. Finally, he was going to go back where he belonged. Being in the same room with Hokuto nearly all day was enough to make him antsy. Even his scowl had a scowl! Multiple times he had to refrain himself from calling him Aizen and not giving him a good throttle. Somehow, he made it, and he was more than ready to back to the group… and to Kurumu, he thought with an unconscious smile.

"Hey, nice sword you got there." Ichigo heard a person speak to him. Looking up, he found a person reading a book in a tree. Said person pulled the book away from his face to reveal two rectangular-slitted eyes. One was horizontal while the other was vertical. Ichigo felt like this guy was trouble, but he didn't seem to be radiating any kind of negative aura. If anything, his aura seemed more like that of a curious child.

"I want it." He said childishly as he jumped down from the tree and walked over to Ichigo. Ichigo took a step back as this weird person was acting all jittery, and moved about, trying to get a good look at Zangetsu. For a brief moment he wondered if this guy knew Shunpo since he seemed to be everywhere at once. At one point he even poked Zangetsu, making Ichigo swat his hand away.

"Ow." The stranger rubbed his hand as Ichigo stared at him.

"Youou can't have it." Ichigo said before turning, "Sorry, but I gotta go." Then he left.

"Hm. Maybe I came on too strong?" Kiria wondered as he put a finger to his chin. "Chea, too bad he escaped."

"You idiot. What do you think you're doing Kiria? I told you to keep watch, not make contact." A deep, menacing voice came from behind said person, "Don't approach him on your own. Don't you know that you've been linked to Antithesis and is currently watched by the school?"

Kiria said nothing for the moment, simply staring back with that half-smile of his. "Sorry about that. I guess after going through all the trouble of making this student model image, you wouldn't like it if someone happened to see you with me… right leader?"

Hokuto said nothing as Kiria walked towards, and past him. "Your prediction came true. You've been attacking Ichigo more than necessary, and always he has won without fail. It seems you are correct in him being a different being other than monster. Because of this, the headmaster arbitrated Ichigo as his sword and now has him doing his bidding. Now how will you use this to your advantage?"

Hokuto said nothing, instead letting the ghost of a smile touch his features. Kiria noticed this and smirked before childishly patting him on the back, saying, "Aha! Interesting! You're really clever! Will the plan be completed smoothly? I'm really excited!"

His tone went down a notch as a hint to his sudden serious state, but his aloofness remained. "Interesting, or not interesting. That is all I'm concerned with." He said as he pulled out his book.

"Don't be too excited. It's time to proceed with the main plan." Hokuto replied in a tone that would've sent fear down the backs of others. "You have to be prepared to take action at any time."

Kiria grinned youthfully at his leader. "Ok! Leave it to me Hokuto."

"Obviously… my plans have always been thwarted by your sudden whim." Hokuto said with a bit of distaste, "Anyway, you better leave soon or someone will catch us."

Kiria merely smiled before walking away, really looking forward to the interesting things that lay ahead.

* * *

"Are you done with this book? I need to look up some definitions." Kurumu asked Mizore as she took the book from the snow girl's hands.

"Yea. Do you have all the pictures you need for your recipe?" Mizore took Kurumu's nod as a yes as she cleared away one of the desks that was no longer in use by sweeping everything on it into the trash.

"Hey Ichigo, are you done with…" Moka stopped when she noticed Ichigo sad in his chair, motionless. "Ichigo? Is something wrong?" She worriedly asked. All people stopped what they were doing to look at the scene unfolding. Slowly, Ichigo got up as he turned a shade paler. Kurumu looked at her boyfriend and began to panic as she walked over to Ichigo and tried shaking him to get his attention.

"Ichigo! Ichigo! What's wrong?" She furiously asked as he slowly turned his gaze towards her.

"They're dead." He said ominously as Kurumu backed up a bit. His hands lay flat against the desk, slowly curling and breaking the wood beneath his fingers. Finally the table gave way to his sheer strength as he balled his fists so tightly that they turned white. "They're all dead!"

"Who's dead!" Kurumu had no idea what was going on, only that Ichigo seemed to be aware of something no one else was. He only looked at her for a brief moment before he grabbed Zangetsu. Before anyone could do anything to stop him, he disappeared, smashing through a window and leaving behind an increasingly worried girlfriend.

"Ichigo!" She yelled, extending his hand to reach him in vain.

"We should follow him." Moka stated. No one argued as they all dropped everything they were doing and ran after their distraught friend.

* * *

This wasn't happening. He had been keeping tabs on the committee members using his newfound ability… but suddenly the just seemed to wink out of existence. When that happened, his blood went cold as he froze in his chair. It couldn't be true… it couldn't be that his words possible fear came true…

Could it?

Whatever it was, he was now on his way to find the source. He used a rapid fire series of Shunpo to approach the committee building. He managed to get there within two minutes before stopping cold, a wave a fear flowing down his spine. He smelled blood, and a _lot_ of it. Not having the patience to deal with doors and stairs, he simply smashed his way through the walls in the general direction of the room. Upon arrival, he saw his fears realized.

There in the center of a room, stood Hokuto with blood staining his sleeves and dribbling down his face. Around him were a mass of bodies, all killed in horrible ways. Some were sprawled out on the ground, while others looked like they had been thrown roughly against the wall until their bodies caved in. Impacts on some of the heads revealed heavy blunt damage and some were missing limbs. At this point, Ichigo could not deny the rage flowing within his veins as murderous intent seeped from him.

"You bastard!" Ichigo gritted his teeth as he pulled out Zangetsu. "What the hell did you do?"

Hokuto looked at the angered boy, and felt the immense power radiating off of him. This time around, it seemed much more refined than its usual lack of order. Still, this wasn't the time to be noticing such useless things. He had to stop him before he powered up. He smiled as he gave a brief glance at this bodies… this was turning out to be easier than he had originally planned.

"So you noticed? And here I thought I was being discreet." He adjusted his glasses he turned to bear cold eyes towards Ichigo, "I don't recall your sensory abilities to be at this level… even if they are still pretty low."

"Quit screwing around! Why did you do this?" Seeing as Ichigo was not taking to the light chatter, he decided to explain himself.

"Though you suspected me, it seems you didn't find out the truth." A manic grin formed on his lips as he looked down at the Shinigami, "You see, I'M the leader of Antithesis."

Ichigo's eyes widened at that. He had suspected Hokuto to be connected to Antithesis, but he never expected him to be the leader. "So what was the whole point of doing this?" Ichigo said in a low and dangerous tone. Hokuto was amused by this, but decided to enlighten him.

"How about this?" Hokuto said as he picked up a steel bar from the ground, "You show me your power, and we'll settle this."

Ichigo would've found it amusing that someone like Hokuto would challenge him, but he was not in the mood. Ichigo tensed his legs before he lunged at Hokuto, who amazingly enough parried him without letting the steel bar be cut. Ichigo followed the movement with a kick to the stomach which Hoktuo backhanded. Vaguely he acknowledged this persons skills. He jumped back before darting in with another frontal assault, but this time he spun on his heel and swung Zangetsu into a spinning slice. Hoktuo managed to catch this motion and ducked as he made a move to sweep Ichigo's feet from beneath him. It didn't work as Ichigo did a slight jump and blocked an incoming strike from Hokuto. They locked eyes monetarily as Ichigo took this moment to jump back once his feet touched the ground.

Fact of the matter, Ichigo was barely fighting at half his current strength, most likely even less. That training really had paid off, even if it was relatively short. The little bit of refinement his reiatsu got was enough to greatly strengthen him. But he also didn't know how to handle it quite yet. He was used to fighting with his sluggish, vaster reiatsu weighing him down. Even now, as he exchanged blows with Hokuto, he could feel his body both lighter and more responsive to his commands. He actually had to fight _not_ to take it too far with Hokuto even as his anger dictated him to do otherwise.

Ichigo saw his chance and reversed his grip on Zangetsu before swinging his arm, effectively knocking Hoktuo back and slamming him into the wall with the broad side of his sword. To his surprise, Hokuto merely shrugged it off as he peeled away from it and dashed towards him. It seemed he was back with fervor as he unleashed a series of attacks that put Ichigo on the defensive, which was not saying much considering he could beat him at anytime if he powered up.

There in lay the problem. The pillars in the room were already dangerously close to falling apart, any increase in his power could destabilize them and any potential survivors could be killed by the weight of the roof collapsing. He couldn't chance it. He had to make sure these people were alive before increasing his power. Even as they fought, he tried to move around the bodies, hoping he could spot someone who was moving, or at the very least, breathing. So far he had no such luck, and that only darkened his already grim features. His scowl was threatening, no, it told of a world of pain that would be delivered justly once he was sure there would be no more casualties.

"I see. Your empathy is your weakness at the moment." Ichigo heard Hoktuo say as he narrowed his eyes at the man.

"What?" He asked, his tone deadly as he held Zangetsu in front of him, blade pointing towards Hokuto.

"You care too much for these people. They're already dead." And as if to emphasize, he moved one of the bodies with his foot. No reaction came from the corpse… but either way, it made Ichigo's blood boil at such mistreatment.

"You're gonna pay for this." Ichigo growled, and only received a faint smile from Hokuto.

"I'm sure I am." Hokuto blurred from view in a burst of speed before reappearing inside Ichigo's guard. "Are you going to make me sorry?" He said before delivering a punch to Ichigo's stomach.

Or he would've had Ichigo's fist not blocked it. Hokuto grimaced as he felt Ichigo's hand close around his fist, cracking the knuckles in his hand. He looked up to see cold eyes staring back at him, ones that shown no mercy. He grunted in pain as he was forced to his knees as Ichigo continued to apply pressure, finally reaching the point where Hokuto's fingers began breaking.

"Yes." Ichigo replied, soulless and devoid of emotion. "I will make you sorry." With that he dropped Zangetsu momentarily as he raised the now empty fist, jutting his fingers outwards in a spade-like form. For a brief moment, as he locked eyes with the boy, Hokuto could've sworn he saw a glimmer of yellow flash in Ichigo's eyes as he delivered his blow. Hokuto coughed up blood as Ichigo pierced his chest with his hand, going through his lung and out his back. Ichigo pulled out his hand without a second of remorse, only glad that he had managed to put an end to this maniac.

"W-What kind of being are you?" Hokuto asked as he felt the world fade from view. Sadly, he got no response before his world went black.

"I am death." Ichigo replied, holding onto Hokuto's limp body.

He paused for a brief moment as he forced the words that were not his from his mind. He was really starting to regret making that deal with his Hollow for at the moment, it seemed to be doing him more harm than good. The rage that was building inside of him wasn't his, but rather his Hollow's insatiable appetite for battle.

As he looked on at Hokuto's unconscious form, he decided there was nothing he could do about it for the moment other than turn in Hokuto. With that said, he turned around and left the building, trying to quell the furious energy within him.

* * *

"Kiria!" Both Moka and Kurumu exclaimed at once. Said person greeted them with a coy smile.

"Hey girls. How have you been?" He calmly replied. Tsukune and Mizore got the sense this person was bad, judging from their friends' reactions. But he didn't seem all too bad. In fact, he looked like a rather light-hearted fellow, granted, with a weird disposition and set of eyes.

"We would be better if you got out of our way." Kurumu quickly retorted, making a move to pass him by. Kiria shook his head as he extended an arm, effectively blocking her.

"Going to help out your boyfriend?" He asked.

Kurumu smirked. "Actually no, we're going to see whoever's ass is about to be kicked by him."

"That's right. Ichigo would never lose to anyone." Moka pitched in. Despite this, they could all see how clearly amused Kiria was at their faith of their orange-haired friend.

"Oh really?" Then he made a contemplative noise. "Maybe he might… maybe he might not. We'll just have to wait and see." Then he pulled out his book as he flipped through a few pages.

"In the meantime, I'm about to finish this book. Maybe you could offer me some entertainment by fighting each other?" He asked politely.

"How about we kick your ass instead?" Kurumu replied as she released her transformation. Moka got into a battle stance as well while Mizore simply shrugged and released her transformation as well. Yukari pulled out her wand and charged up her tarot cards.

"Oh ho." Kiria noticed their stances, finding their act of defiance a bit amusing. "You think you can stand against me when you couldn't before?" He got his answer by the resolute looks on the group's faces.

He shrugged. "Well, the numbers are to your favor ." Calmly, he closed the book and tucked it neatly into the inside pocket of his blazer. "Let's see how this ends shall we?"

Tsukune took a step back, wondering if he should enter the fray. He still had the badge in his pocket, which was ready to go at any moment. For right now though, he opted to see how things went. If they looked like they needed help, then he would just have to do his best to hide his body. There were a lot of trees after all, some of them being hollow. He would have to wait and see if his aid was needed.

Kurumu took flight before diving down straight at Kiria, who simply back-flipped and landed on his feet. The only problem with this action was that the ground he had landed on was now icy and slippery. Not only that, but the ice was now clinging to his shoe and rapidly consuming his foot and leg.

"Whoops!" He said bemusedly as he sprung away from the ice, shattering any that managed to stick to him. He wasn't given a moment's rest as he was immediately bombarded by a shower of magically sharpened tarot cards. He danced between the cards, not even managing to get his clothes ripped. His reflexes were uncanny as something from the corner of his vision alerted him to an attack. Immediately he ducked from Kurumu's claws, his legs spreading out before moving his hand to swat away an ice claw that threatened to impale him. He tsked as the snow girl who persisted in trying to stab him, but he could tell she was inexperienced as she operated on the term, 'swing and hope you hit something' though it was a little bit more refined than that. She was calculating her moves, a sign of a clear thinker even under stress.

Who he _didn't_ expect to be a clear thinker was Kurumu, who actually caught him by surprise as a tree branch coiled around his waist. The tree growled at him as its other branches made their way to surround his other limbs and immobilize him. But he grinned as he simply shattered the illusion with pure will. He knew about how Succbi's greatest strength was their ability for illusions. However, it seemed Kurumu had not yet fully developed hers. Still, he was actually surprised to have been caught by it, him, whom had hardened his mind to ward off such tricks. It seemed she did practice on more practical things other than molesting her boyfriend.

Despite the severity of the situation, Kurumu couldn't help but feel indignant at the moment. For some reason she felt like saying that she did not molest Ichigo out loud. A curious thought, but now was not the time for that as Kiria lunged at her. Amazingly, time slowed down for a split second as she saw the attack coming towards her. She quickly ducked to the left and rose to the air, high and away from Kiria's reach.

"I'm impressed." Kiria said as he straightened out his clothes, "I don't know if you've been practicing or not, but you've improved." Then he smiled, "Then again I have been taking it easy on you."

"That's going to be your undoing!" Little Yukari yelled out.

"That's right," Mizore added in, "If you underestimate us, you will lose."

"Oh I'm not underestimating you." He replied, eyeing each one of them carefully, "If anything, I'm _overestimating_ you guys."

That got Kurumu's blood simmering as she lunged in for a blind attack.

"Milk lady!" Mizore cried out, trying to warn Kurumu about how he was messing with their heads. It was too late as Kiria jumped over her before her attack could connect. With one fluid motion, he managed to grab her shoulder, shift his center of gravity, and crash his knees into her back, riding her like a wakeboard to the ground.

Kurumu yelled out as she bit the dirt, pain filling every nerve from the brutal crash. She tried getting back up, only to have her face smashed back into the ground. "What a shame," She heard Kiria say through ringing ears, "I put a little more effort to show my appreciation and this is all the interesting things you give me?"

Kiria shook his head before looking to the left. He saw the ice kunai coming and dove to the right, brining himself up to his feet gracefully and swiftly. "Well, can't say you guys aren't creative. You guys are a little interesting after all." Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around his body in a type of bear hug.

"Oh? Now this is interesting. I didn't think the sealed Moka would join the fray." He tested her grip, and was surprised by what he found, "Even in this state, you're plenty strong. I applaud you Akashiya Moka."

"Why are you doing this?" Moka took the time to ask.

"You're mistaking something. I'm not a part of this. All that's happening belongs to Hokuto's plan." He replied, noticing the confused looks coming from the group. He decided to clarify. "You see, I'm not here for anything else. I just want to find interesting things, and I don't really care much for uninteresting things. Since Hokuto definitely cooked up something interesting, I decided to stick with him."

"It doesn't matter, whatever plan Hokuto cooked up, Ichigo will put a stop to it!" Kurumu stated surely and without hesitation.

Kiria let loose one of those rare grins. "Whatever you say."

Kurumu narrowed her eyes at this, not liking the way he replied. "Are you saying you have something that can beat Ichigo?"

Suddenly, Kiria broke free from Moka's grasp and elbowed her in the stomach. She bent forward, clutching her abdomen as she fell to the ground in pain. Kiria turned his gaze and locked eyes with the Succubus. "I guess you'll just have to beat it out of me to find out."

With those words said, more chaos ensued as the group fought for their lives.

* * *

The headmaster grinned when Ichigo approached the stairs of his building. He looked down towards the boy, seeing the clear aggravation set on his features. He saw him approach with a body before stopping him midway.

"What's this?" The headmaster asked quizzically as Hokuto's body was thrown just a few steps below him by a dark-looking Ichigo.

"Hokuto was the leader of Antithesis all along." Ichigo plainly told the grinning exorcist.

"Good. I figured he was the one, but never had any proof." The headmaster took a look at the bleeding body set out before him. "It seems he might've gotten you angry." He said bemusedly.

"I think we need an ambulance or something in case there were any survivors." Ichigo stated, the threat in his voice wearing off with each word. He was finally calming down a bit.

The headmaster nodded. "I will dispatch someone right away." He said before gesturing to a man in behind him. He nodded before leaving to do his leader's wishes.

"In the meantime, I would like you to move a bit." He asked.

"Why?" Ichigo replied, but had done as asked, taking a few steps back.

The headmaster said nothing as he murmured an incantation and a field of energy soon surrounded Hokuto. Ichigo took another step back, amazed by the sheer power coming from it. It didn't seem exceptionally powerful, but it radiated of some arcane, ancient power that was different from even the youkai energy of this world. What caught him more by surprise was the fact that Hokuto had suddenly stood up, his wound healed though not without having left a large scar.

"You knew I was awake. Not only that, it seems you were prepared for me, which explains why you haven't appeared lately." Hokuto looked at the field that surrounded him, completely ignoring the fact that he had been 'defeated' by Ichigo, who at the moment was in a bit of a stupor at this turn of events.

Hokuto clenched his fist before slamming it into the barrier. All that resulted from this was a bloody hand and an amused look from Hokuto. "Ichigo joining the committee… was to make me fall into the trap. That's why you used an assassin to see if Ichigo would be able to handle me."

Ichigo's eyes widened at the news as he looked at headmaster, who simply looked on, not saying a word. Hokuto smiled at this. "So I've hit the bull's eye haven't I? Everything was within your calculations board chairman."

Finally, the headmaster decided to speak up. "You are an outstanding student… I had great expectations from you. What a pity Hokuto-kun." He said before turning around, though Ichigo swore he could've seen a bit of regret in those ever glowing eyes of his.

"Accompany Ichigo to my office." He said to one of the bodyguards, and then said to another, "Take him to the dungeon." referring to Hokuto.

Ichigo looked at Hokuto, who was currently trapped in between him and the exorcist. He simply stood there, as if taking in the scenery and finally understanding what was going to happen to him. That's what he assumed was going through Hokuto's mind, but when he heard Hokuto laugh, that idea was shot out the window. It was a mere chuckle at first, but then it became a full-blown manic laugh. This caught the headmaster's attention as he turned shining eyes towards the trapped leader of Antithesis.

In a raw surge of power, Hokuto suddenly broke the barrier. It seemed to shatter like glasses as it dispelled before it was followed by a wave of power that caught Ichigo off-guard, knocking him back a bit and completely sending the guards flying. "You were wrong headmaster, it was all withing **my** calculations, not yours." Hokuto spoke as renewed energy flowed through his body.

Hokuto raised his hand, his fingers splitting up and lengthening as he did so. Branches of bone and sinews spread out like a tree as thorns grew out and jutted at odd angles. Ichigo acted fast, but was stopped by another of Hokuto's hands, which seemed to split up and surround him. Ichigo broke through it in less than a split second, cutting one of the 'branches', but that split second was all that Hokuto had needed to impale the headmaster. But knowing that he didn't stand against Ichigo at full power, Hokuto decided to speak up to distract him. "Don't be so haste Kurosaki-san. If you don't want your friends to be injured, you'll let me do what I need to do."

That was enough to make Ichigo pause as he asked, "What do you mean my friends?"

Hokuto looked at him with a secretive smile as he walked over to the body of the heavily injured headmaster. "Did you think I would face you without being prepared? I know about your power and how strong you are. I know I would lose if I faced you at full strength. That's why I had to take precautions. Back then in the committee room, why didn't you power up?"

Ichigo's eyes widened as he realized it had all been a trap. Hokuto knew Ichigo figured it out, judging from the pissed off look on his face. "That's right Ichigo. It _was_ a trap. And a double-layered trap at that. You're a person who dives headfirst things, thinking about the consequences later. This allowed me to send Kiria, a person more than capable of taking on all your friends at once. Especially Tsukune."

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo asked, not liking the way it sounded. This only served to fuel Hokuto' s grin that stretched across his face.

"I mean, I know he's human." Ichigo's eyes widened as Hokuto continued to speak, "He probably will die first considering how weak he is."

Then, to Hokuto's surprise, Ichigo actually smirked. "You've made a few miscalculations."

Hokuto arched an eyebrow as he eyed the rosary that lay on the floor. "How so?" He decided to play along, hoping he could grab the Rosario while Ichigo was distracted.

"I taught Tsukune how to fight… and now he's more than just human." Ichigo felt rather proud of that. He never had a student before, but found it kind of interesting having someone to teach.

But this proved to be all the time Hokuto needed as one of his 'branches' split off and picked off the Rosario off the floor. In one swift movement, he extended his hand as a barrier surrounded Ichigo. The orange-haired boy was momentarily shocked, but realized that if Hokuto could get out, then he could get out as well. So he began to power up.

Then something went wrong. "You see. The chairman captured me, not using the full capability of the barrier because he thought he wouldn't need it. After being 'beaten' so badly, he didn't think he'd need to use all of the barrier's true strength." Hokuto explained as Ichigo felt his power waning and diminishing.

Suddenly Hokuto took off his green, uniform blazer to reveal a chain around his wrist with a lock. "This is a miniaturized version of the barrier you are in. It is designed to seal away demonic energy and keep the 'human' part intact." He looked at the continuously struggling Ichigo, who fought to regain his power. "So I used the barrier's full power on you, and sealed away all of that unnatural energy of yours. You won't be able to do a thing." He smiled victoriously as he looked down at the trapped boy.

"I used you Ichigo. As I expected, the board chairman placed you in the committee to test my true nature. I approached you and allowed you to capture me. On the other hand, I told Kiria to go and capture your friends, whom should be dead by now." Laughter soon took hold of him as the image of a model student was no longer even remotely there. "All your actions were exactly as I predicted! Thanks to you, my plan went perfectly!"

Ichigo grimaced, but still managed to stretch out his senses. He remained calm when he realized that everyone was still alive. He couldn't tell if they were injured or not, but the fact that they were still alive was all that he needed for the moment. Then, Hokuto took the Rosario in his hand and looked at it, seemingly fawning over it.

"I want the world to return to its original state. Youkai and humans would be able to kill and eat each other to their hearts' content." He looked at Ichigo, who looked back at him as if he were insane. He grinned. Perhaps he was. "Wouldn't that be nice Kurosaki-san?"

"As if. I'm going to stop you." Ichigo stated defiantly as he began channeling his power.

Hokuto smiled at the futile attempt. "So what do you plan to do? Kill me?" He asked as he twirled the Rosario in his hand, confident in the fact that Ichigo would not escape. "Are you able to? You're all talk. As it were, I've wasted enough time with you. The sooner I leave you, the closer I become to realizing my plan and wishes for this Academy."

Ichigo watched as Hokuto brought the Rosario closer to himself. He murmured a spell that Ichigo couldn't decipher before odd, rectangular markings spread around him. There was a surge of arcane energy and after a brief moment, a column of white light centered on Hokuto and whisked him away to wherever his destination was.

In his own manner, Ichigo called upon his reiatsu, which obeyed him as he too was bathed in bluish white light that formed around him. He concentrated, and thanks to his training his reiatsu was that much more refined and stronger. He let out a Getsuga Tenshou which broke cleanly through the barrier despite the seal on his energy still on him. Quickly he rushed to the Chairman to find him still alive despite the multiple wounds that penetrated deep into his back. He could see that they were already healing despite the severity of them.

"Where is he?" Ichigo asked quickly.

"In the basement of the Academy." The headmaster struggled to say, "That's where the Everlasting Altar of Darkness resides. That's where he will use the key to unlock the barrier."

Ichigo nodded, but didn't want to leave the man by himself with his wounds. Thankfully he didn't have to as the guards soon came back. They quickly pulled out their weapons, thinking he was the one to do the crime. Ichigo had no time to explain and hoped that the headmaster would explain the situation to them. With a quick Shunpo, he was out of their sights.

* * *

"Well, I've got to say that this really was interesting after all." He said, his eyes darting between the group members. He honestly didn't think that he would've had this much trouble with them. Something happened to make them stronger… and he had the distinct feeling it had to do with Ichigo. But it didn't matter how much stronger they got, they were still no match for him. Their panting and worn forms were all the proof he needed that they were no match. It didn't help them either that Tsukune couldn't join the fight because he was human and Moka couldn't unleash her true Vampire self. Yukari had already been taken out due to not having the physical prowess of Mizore and Kurumu.

"Glad you're enjoying yourself so much." Kurumu stated as she faced him. Truth be told though, she barely had any energy left. She couldn't even walk, much less fly. Mizore seemly equally worn as her ice began melting into pools below her.

Kiria sent Kurmu that half smile before reappearing before her. Before she had time to react, he had grabbed her arm and tossed her over his shoulder. The earth gave way to the force of Kurumu's body hitting the hard ground, forming a small crater. She gasped as blood spilled from her mouth. The world around her began blurring and shaking, her eyes barely able to stay open. The brutal attack had sapped the last of her strength, and she didn't feel like she could get up again.

"It's a shame." Kiria said from his position next to her. "I thought you guys would be more of a threat. I guess not." He shook his head at the girl's unmoving form before his senses picked up something. He moved his head to the right, a blade singing past his head as he leapt to avoid another attack. He turned around and saw that somehow, Tsukune had changed forms. He even had a blade, ableit, a very small one.

Then he realized something. Kiria lifted a steady hand, and wiped it against his cheek. He felt a wet residue there as he rubbed the spot before bringing it before his face. It was blood…_his_ blood. He looked up again to see Tsukune, his eyes having a hard edge to them. Kiria looked around and noticed that the boy's girl had disappeared and now only him and Tsukune were the only ones left standing.

"You know… I find it hard to believe that you went through all the trouble to change your clothes." Kiria jested. "And where did you get that weapon?"

He was responded by silence. "Don't tell me your attitude changed as well? That's just great."

He barely had time to say those words before Tsukune was on him. His speed had significantly increased, but it wasn't anything he couldn't keep up with. He could almost laugh at Tsukune's weapon. It was a mere dagger, and didn't seem to pose any threat. Still, he would have to be a bit cautious. Somehow Tsukune managed to sneak in a cut earlier.

Despite lacking speed, Tsukune seemed to be somewhat skilled. Kiria had made a move to counter the stab that was coming, but a slight twitch in Tsukune's shoulder alerted him to a feint. He was right and instead had to block a knee from hitting his stomach. Even so, Tsukune pressed on and tried to stab him, no feint this time. With both hands occupied, Kiria couldn't block the following attack. So instead, he jumped back, barely missing being punched in the face. He didn't have time to relax as Tsukune jumped in front of his face, intending to cut off that semi-smile of his. Then, Kiria noticed something. Even when Tsukune's attacks didn't hit, he somehow felt weakened. It felt like all the demonic energy that he used for strength seemed to simply evaporate. Thankfully it didn't happen all over, just in the parts where Tsukune would try to stab. He wondered if this was an ability he had.

"Negate!" Kiria's eyes widened when Tsukune shouted his attack. He was close to Tsukune, and he knew he didn't want to be in the way of whatever Tsukune was about to do so he jumped back a few feet. Kiria saw as Tsukune's blades seemed to whisper away and back into reality before a pulse of strange energy washed over him. He brought his arms to block, but nothing physical happened. There was no hit as it seemingly went over him.

Suddenly a surge of demonic energy was felt as the two participants looked at Moka. Her Rosario was blinking rapidly as energy surged and crackled all over her body. Finally a blinding light flashed before the Inner Moka was revealed. Her slitted, crimson eyes stared at the person known as Kiria, before turning to Tsukune.

"What have you done?" She asked, a dangerous edge to her tone. "The Rosario has lost its effect!'

"I-I don't know." Tsukune replied nervously upon see her cold eyes directed towards him, "I meant only to negate the Youkai energy he used to reinforce his body."

"Well it seems your 'ability' managed to temporarily shut down the Rosario as well." She replied before turning to Kiria, and said, "And you, harming a Vampire. Do you not know your place?"

Kiria, for his part, didn't seem remotely insulted. Instead, he just looked gleeful as he said to Inner Moka, "Wow! You're finally out. I've been wondering what it would be like. Now I get a chance to fight you!"

"As if you have a chance against a Vampire." Moka's eyes shined for a brief moment as she locked gazes with Kiria, slightly impressed by his courage. "It seems you have no fear. I will have to show you your place then."

Kiria smiled, forgetting completely about Tsukune as he lunged at the new Vampire. But something seemed off; he didn't run with as much power or speed as he normally would. Then he remembered Tsukune's words and noticed his mistake. It was too late though as a roundhouse kick from Moka sent him into the dirt, making him tear against the land for a good thirty feet.

"Know your place." She replied with all the grace and form an S-class monster would. Then she turned to Tsukune, who looked at her intently. "Attend the others; I'm going to go find Ichigo."

The tone in her words left no room for discussion as Tsukune could only nod. Soon Moka disappeared.

* * *

Ichigo could already feel the seal weakening around him as he ran inside the basement. It was meant to hold demonic energy, but probably not the vast amount of spiritual energy inside his body. It was interesting though. For the first time in his life he didn't feel any energy leaking outside of his body. It was almost alleviating to not be burdened with his power. He pushed those thoughts aside though, focusing instead on more pressing matters. He didn't know where he was heading, but he used a series of Shunpos to try and get there as fast as he could. Finally there seemed to be a light and he headed over towards it. One last Shunpo delivered him a few feet away from the source of the light.

He paused to stare. Hokuto was already there, surrounded by four mysterious consoles. He looked at Ichigo, a grim smile on his face, "Tsk. You followed me here." He told the orange-haired boy as he gestured towards the four consoles surrounding him. "This is the Everlasting Alter of Darkness, the heart of Youkai Academy."

"Get away from that!" Ichigo yelled when he saw Hokuto mess with the machine. His words fell on deaf ears as Hokuto continued speaking.

"You guys never fail to surprise me. My plan is perfect. Perfect! Forming Antithesis, using you guys to get close the chairman… stealing the 'Cross of Judgment' all for the sake of destroying the Academy! Everything is _perfect!_"

Then, almost as if saddened, he said, "My only miscalculation was you Ichigo. I never thought you would be able to get here. But it doesn't matter now." A triumphant grin formed on his face, "The results will still be the same."

"Now all I have to do is insert this rosary into the keyhole! The Grand Barrier will be dispelled and the Academy will crash into the human world!" Hokuto raised his hand, the Rosario in it, and he hurled it down, intending to make his dreams a reality.

But he was stopped just mere inches away from complete victory. With widened and disbelieving eyes, he turned to face the person who had stopped him. Ichigo looked back at him, an ever present scowl on his face. "You've lost." Ichigo stated simply, noticing the rage building up in Hokuto's eyes.

"This can't be! I sealed away your power!" He yelled at the boy almost manically.

"I have a lot." He replied before yanking away Hokuto from the console. Hokuto crashed onto the ground and lay there, unmoving.

Then as if nothing had happened, he got up, adjusting his glasses. He rose to his full height as he looked at Ichigo, but his visage was far from normal. A look of lunacy was on his face as he muttered to himself, "I won't allow it… I won't all you to spoil my enjoyment!"

Ichigo had about had it with this guy as frustration seeped into his voice. "What's wrong with you? Why do you want to destroy the Academy?"

"You won't understand Ichigo." Hokuto's eyes became normal suddenly, a new seriousness in them. For a brief moment, Ichigo could've sworn Hokuto was sad. "You have always had friends to help you."

Hokuto then raised his wrist, pointing towards the lock from earlier. Something in his gut made Ichigo feel like this lock was the reason behind everything. His suspicious were proven correct as in one crazed move; Hokuto grabbed the lock and ripped it off. Energy like he had never felt before in any other monster he had fought swept over Ichigo. It was an intense, twisted dark energy that vaguely reminded him off his own Hollow energy.

Hokuto's skin twisted and peeled off before seemingly shooting up into branches, long and curved. These sinewy branches merged and split, forming multiple thorns as Hokuto's mass grew taller and larger. "I relied on my own strength Ichigo," Hokuto spoke, his head high above in the air, "To be able to survive in this wretched Academy!"

Finally Hokuto's transformation was complete. Now he was a giant, easily eighteen feet tall composed of branches that formed off into thorns, blades, and sickles. Every part of him was dangerous, even his head was surrounded in what resembled the jaw of a shark mixed with some sort of insect. His equally long tail hung behind him as he stared with dark intentions at the Shinigami.

"I was once human!" Hokuto bellowed, all the anger of the years in a monster Academy as a human pouring over into his voice.

"H-Human?" Ichigo's confusion was evident in his tone. How could anything like this even be remotely human. Though, with a realization, he didn't fit the description of human either.

"To become stronger, I had no choice but to become like this." Hokuto looked at the scythes that had replaced his arms, and even added two more, "It's this Academy that made me into this ugly and violent monster."

A low, menacing growl erupted from his lips. "They can't be forgiven."

The anger in his tone was palpable as it reacted with his Hollow self. He could hear it cry out for a fight, demanding action instead of words. When _he_ got excited, any semblance of reason was lost, and with this new deal Ichigo had made, sometimes said loss of reasoning would transfer to Ichigo. That's why he had limited it to 'will pushes' so his Hollow or Zangetsu could have four chances to 'control' him and after that, no more until they next cycle.

To Ichigo's dismay, he felt himself losing to his Hollow's will. He had thought _he_ would've run out by now. Life seemed to have given him the proverbial finger as he felt his mind grow numb and distant. It was almost a comforting feeling save for the fact that he knew what was going to happen next.

Hokuto noted Ichigo had gone silent as an eerie power began pouring out from his body. It even gave Hokuto chills despite the amount of demonic power he had within himself. Starting to lose his patience, he sent one of his scythes towards Ichigo intending to slay him where he stood. It didn't happen as he predicted as Ichigo merely _grabbed_ the scythe and looked at it with a hint of disdain in his features.

"**Is that all ya can do? Grow bigger and pointier?" **A mocking sneer crossed _Ichigo's_ features as Hokuto flinched from the yellow eyes, **"You ain't a fucking cactus."**

Despite this new look, Hokuto did not shy away. "It seems you grew a rather colorful mouth there." He retaliated after recovering his composure. This new Ichigo was unnerving, and the energy that circulated him was ruthless and unyielding.

"**Yea, my mouth is a real live rainbow ain't it?"** _Ichigo_ replied, not missing a beat.

Hokuto narrowed his eyes at _Ichigo_ and decided he had it with the games. He used the branches around his large body like extra appendages and sent them hurling towards this new form. Their spines and speed would've given any monster a twinge of fear as they became surrounded.

But not _him._ Instead, only a twisted grin showed how much he was looking forward to this upcoming battle. He flexed his hand, feeling the seal around him weakening even further with his corruptive black reiatsu. Hauling Zangetsu over his shoulder, he swung it without a care, lopping off branches and thorns in one swing. These proved to be a distraction though as the main scythes came from behind him. He merely grinned before simply using a hand to stop the blades. Then to Hokuto's great disbelief, _Ichigo_ lifted Hokuto with _one_ hand and tossed him into the giant pillars that surrounded the room.

"**Tch. Too easy."** _He_ muttered, feeling that Hokut's anger wasn't as strong as he thought it was. He was proven wrong as Hokuto got up, letting out a gruesome yell that made _him_ grin.** "Guess maybe ya do got something in ya."**

The Hollowbent his knees, ready to attack. **"Hya!"** With a yell of enthusiasm, he leapt at Hokuto who got back up. The darkened Ichigo grinned as despite the wounds Hokuto had, he was still as ferocious, if not more, than before. Hokuto came at the Hollow with a renewed fervor, swiping and trying to stab with merciless intent.

But the Hollow came at him with equal mercilessness. Though _he_ didn't need to, he ducked and weaved, just to prolong the battle even longer. He didn't even bother blocking the blades and instead opted to swat them away with his bare hand. This infuriated Hokuto even more as he even used his tail to attack. Now facing multiple attacks from all directions, _he_ could feel the adrenaline flowing through his body. He felt _alive_. What would've made this even more fun if there were more opponents attacking him.

Sadly, he would have to make due as he began his counter-attack. He paused only to stab Zangetsu deep into the ground. He pushed back an attack from one of the few remaining scythes before jumping into the air. Hokuto took this chance to try and attack him upon seeing _Ichigo_ float helplessly in the air. Only, he wasn't as helpless as he disappeared from view. Hokuto looked all around and saw what appeared to be a bandage flowing somewhere behind him. He turned around quickly and saw _Ichigo_ with a grin that only meant bad news, the end of a bandage wrapped in his hand. Realization dawned him a second too late as _Ichigo_ had already given the wrapping a sharp tug. Once again, Hokuto turned around only to see a blade hurling towards his neck. His eyes flashed with futile anger as he prepared himself for the death that awaited him.

It did not happen as he expected. He heard the dull thump of metal piercing stone floor before his mind turned on again, forcing him back to reality. He had accepted his death so quickly that he didn't even see the blade knocked away. He looked down, and his eyes widened imperceptibly at his unlikely savior.

It was Akashya Moka… and in her released state as well. Her crimson eyes turned towards the malevolent Ichigo, who grinned at her from his distance away. They locked gazes, neither power showing an ounce of fear of the other. "What do you think you are doing?" Moka's cold tone merely caused _Ichigo _to cock his head to the side. Despite this, his gaze seemed indifferent as he casually shrugged.

"**Just havin a little fun, not that someone with a stick up their ass would know what that was."** His grin widened at the indignation shining on Moka's features.

"Watch what you say to a Vampire." Moka threatened as she neared him. "Unless you want me to show you your place."

"**Hm, sounds kinky." **_Ichigo_ drawled, a strange pitch in his voice that made the Vampire shiver ever so slightly.

Both contestants went silent as they stared at one another, sizing each other up. The proud and graceful gaze of Moka locked eyes with the carefree and defiant ones of this other Ichigo. A pillar in the background fell, and no sooner had it touched the ground before the two fighters went at each other, intentions shining clearly in their eyes.


	35. Fun

**Alright, so I've decided to stay in this style of writing. Not only did it return the most positive reviews, but it allowed me to explain things at my own paces without it feeling rushed. I liked that, so updates **_**might**_** come out a little bit later, but they will be higher quality (hopefully).**

**So yea, enjoy!**

**Errr, one last note. I've revised this chapter three times already… but it really feels like something is missing and its bugging me. Would you mind pointing it out in a review? It would help!**

**Okay, I promise this is the last note. _Next_ chapter is the festival. This is just clearing up, so it might not be too entertaining. Just a heads up.  
**

**X X X X X**

The fighters squared off once more before diving headlong into battle. One thing the Hollow would admit as he dodged kick after kick was that hand-to-hand combat was not his forte. He bucked backwards from a frontal kick that hit him square in the chest.

Finally someone _interesting_ to fight!

"**Just curious, are ya some sort of flasher?"** _Ichigo_ asked, seemingly brushing off the attack as if they were nothing

Ura Moka arched an eyebrow before responding, "What do you mean?"

_Ichigo's_ grin grew mischievous as he replied. **"I can see your panties. Stripes don't suit ya!"** He cackled gleefully when Moka was on him in an instant, trying to kick that smirk right off his face. He swerved his head to the right, barely in time to dodge a hoof kick that had intended to knock him to the ground… or possibly lop off his head. This attack was followed by a roundhouse kick he managed to grab. Moka's features grew threatening at the fact that he had not let go. He was simply looking at her, grinning as he held her leg. Her brief moment of frustration made her drop her guard a bit and that was all _Ichigo _needed before he picked her up and threw her into one of the large, sturdy pillars. Having to support the Academy, the pillar was immensely large. Even so, half of it collapsed onto Moka from the attack.

This did little to quell the intense pride and anger welling up within Moka. She could not believe that she had grown distracted like that! Her Vampire pride demanded her to show him his place, to show him where he belonged. With crimson eyes flashing dangerously, she sped towards her opponent before plowing her foot into the ground. A crater spider-webbed from point of impact as she stopped before _Ichigo_, who was caught off-balance by the mini-quake. In turn, she used the momentum to bring about her other leg into another roundhouse kick that landed squarely on _Ichigo's_ jaw.

Or it seemed that way. _Ichigo_ merely went with the attack, rolling a split second before it hit. On one knee, he managed to see Moka raise her foot, intending to send it crashing down on his head. _Ichigo_ blocked with his arms in an x-shaped guard as he grinned malevolently. **"I see Paris, I see France, I see Moka's cli—"**

Before he could finish his rant, he was silenced as Moka had used _Ichigo's _guard as her ground and lifted herself in the air and brought a sweeping kick to meet _Ichigo's _face once more. He was sent flying to the side, but not before stopping himself as he placed a hand on the ground. He flipped himself over and landed swiftly on feet. And this time, he was prepared. The moment her kick nearly connected, he blurred to her side. Her reflexes were fast enough to catch the movement, but she couldn't do anything to stop it. The Hollow gave a kick that was a sheer mockery of her own techniques, a bastardized version. Whether it was fake or not, it still stung as the impact of the kick sent her the opposite direction. As soon as she stopped moving she looked up to see _Ichigo_ up in the air, his leg stretched out before him. She smirked. He had jumped too high and left his guard open. Forcing her energy to her legs she slammed one foot down, planting it into the concrete. Using the force that carried over, she thrust her other leg straight up and connected with _Ichigo's_ kick. The result was a shockwave that sent _Ichigo_ flying backwards, his kick not nearly being as effective as Moka's trained one.

"**Keh. That's the last time I try to copy ya."** He smirked as he looked at her crimson eyes. They were daunting for any lesser being, but for him, they made the woman in front of her all the more enticing. **"Sadly, I don't have any hand-to-hand techniques of my own. I'll just have to copy Ichigo."**

She was about to ask what he meant by 'copying Ichigo' when she felt a dark aura surrounding him. He looked at himself as he made a disgruntled noise, **"Tch. The damn seal is weakening. I can't enjoy the fight if I get stronger."**

"Seal?" Moka questioned as she slipped into another stance.

He looked at her for a moment before deciding to respond.** "Yea, that damn Hokuto sealed away my power." **Then he smirked, **"Then again, this would've been one-sided if I had all my power. I should thank him."**

He took in Moka's critical stare as she replied, "You're not fighting at full strength?"

He didn't bother to reply as he casually shrugged. Not only that, but his stance had an air of superiority to it, one that made Moka's blood boil. He acted as if he were superior to her when _she_ was the Vampire! Now more than ever did she want to teach him a lesson despite that his strength proved that he was more than worthy to be her mate.

"I'm going to wipe that smirk off you face and show you your place!" Her eyes narrowed when he cackled gleefully at her threat.

"**Bring it!"** He said and Moka obeyed. She launched into a set of kicks that would've made anyone watching dizzy. She alternated between high and low kicks and occasionally throwing in a punch or two. _Ichigo_ was happy. Never had he had so much fun since entering this wretched Academy full of weak monsters! Even if the seal the weakening, he was going to do his best to enjoy this fight.

He smiled a feral smile. Truly, this Moka was far more interesting than the pink-haired version. She was ruthless, merciless, and _nothing_ compared to her weaker counterpart. He looked at her features, how dead set they were on making him… dead. He cackled at the pun, only earning a harsh glare from Moka as she sent him a kick that made him jump back to avoid it. No sooner had his feet touched the ground than he was already under barrage by her kicks. However, this time he decided to stop playing around as he leapt inside Moka's guard. He wanted to show her that her pride meant _nothing_ to him. Her steely eyes shone with murderous intent as he approached her. She tried to jump back, but being midway in a kick made it hard to do that. So she was helpless as _Ichigo_ grabbed her face and jumped. Her body was dragged through the air before being slammed down forcefully into the ground headfirst.

The yellow eyes of _Ichigo_ scanned the seemingly unmoving body of Moka. He eyed her as he licked his lips. Truly, she was a worthy opponent even if he was just fighting in Shikai state… and sealed at that. For a brief moment the memory of Moka wanting to share crossed his mind. An sultry grin crossed his face as he briefly stretched out a hand to Moka's face. Her features were sharp and graceful, and the pride she radiated made him want to show her how much pride was worthless. _True_ warriors knew how to simply enjoy battle. Like that Kenpachi guy, _he_ had the right idea!

He wasn't thinking of fighting though at the moment as he focused on Moka's face. For a brief moment, he wondered how she tasted and felt himself giving in to his desire, not that he never did anyway. He lowered his head as he gave her a whiff. He threw his head back in a maddening cackle, she smelled _good!_ Oh how he wanted to feast on her! He wanted to plunge into her, enjoy every single thing about her that made her the woman she was. What the _fuck_ was Ichigo thinking in deciding _not_ to share? That bastard was truly retarded! So… he would have to do it for him.

Before he could fulfill their wishes, he was pulled downwards and briefly locked eyes with the scintillating ones of Moka before his neck was pierced by her fangs. It made his lust even all the more maddening as his blood was being taken from him. It was painful to him, but immensely enjoyable and he could feel she was enjoying it too from the way her body pressed against her. He heard her gasp as his black reiatsu made its way into her system through his blood. _Ichigo_ picked himself up from her and looked down, grinning. Her eyes seemed glazed over as she seemed to be enjoying this newfound power. He especially liked the way her chest was heaving with each shaky breath.

"T-Tell me…What… are you?" She demanded, her tone sharp and deadly. But he couldn't take her seriously, not with the light blush on her face and that stutter. She was intoxicated… intoxicated by _his_ power and he could tell she was loving every single drop of it.

"**Hmm." **He thought about it, teasing as he grabbed her wrists and put them over her head, **"How about I show you instead?"** He murmured in her ear with a carnal edge to his tone. He was rewarded pleasantly as Moka arched her back, leaning into his frame before her mouth was invaded by his hungry lips.

* * *

Hokuto had reverted to his human form… mostly. The upper half was human while the lower half was still compromised of those sinewy branches which vaguely resembled the legs of a praying Mantis. He gazed at the fight, entranced at the display of fluidity in their movements which still held a reasonable amount of power. He was lucky they were fighting each other. He didn't think he could've won had both been attacking him instead. Not only that, but the seal on _Ichigo_ seemed to be weakening with every moment that passed by

Slowly he backed away from them, dragging himself towards the four consoles. Somehow, despite the fact Ichigo had stopped him, fate had dictated that he complete his mission. He grinned, he wouldn't argue with that. It made him all the more happy that he was about to accomplish his goals and neither Moka or Ichigo were paying enough attention to stop him. His plan… his dreams… his goals… they would finally be realized!

He deliberately reached a hand on one of the consoles before hoisting himself up. These legs were only good for standing when he was in his completely released state, not half human. He would have to get used to it first before walking. But it didn't matter. Victory was within arm's reach as he looked at the Rosario. Gently he placed it in the keyhole before a beam of light shot up.

* * *

An interruption came in the form of a blinding light that washed over them and jolted them to their senses. _Ichigo_ and Moka grunted their frustration as the former rose to look around. He wasn't pleased to see that the building they were in was literally falling on top of them. The light in the center didn't make it any better either. Waves of enormous energy crashed around them as the air sizzled with static.

It really ruined the mood.

"**Tch, great. Just when things were looking up."** _Ichigo _frowned with distaste as he spotted a grinning Hokuto standing in the center of the consoles. He was reverted back mostly to his human form.

"Can you hear it?" Hoktuo asked, grinning triumphantly, "It's the sounds of destruction. The plan has been accomplished. The Grand Barrier will be dispelled soon. The end is drawing close."

_Ichigo_ merely looked on as if the guy wasn't playing with a full deck of cards. **"Yea, so?"**

Hokuto's eyes widened as confusion settled in his features. "Weren't you the one trying to stop me earlier?"

"**Nah. That was Ichigo, and I'm not that fucking retard in any way."** He replied callously before a sudden jolt shook his body. **"Speaking of the bastard, he's about to return too. Damn."** He smiled wickedly as his deathly eyes bore on Hokuto.

Then he howled as he fought to stay awake. The pitch black reiatsu clashed against its blue counterpart as both energies struggled for dominance. It was a vast power that even overcame the power coming off the barrier. It was like being drowned in an ocean, so wide and vast. For a brief moment, the energy receded before it exploded out in a thunderous shockwave. Moka and Hokuto had to cover their eyes at the intensity of the blinding light that followed. Finally after it dimmed, Ichigo was left standing there, but it was the Ichigo they all knew and loved... well… knew anyways.

"I can't wait till that bastard runs out of…" Ichigo muttered darkly before realizing where he was. He noticed the look of bewilderment on Hokuto while Moka looked… disappointed? He couldn't really tell since she always seemed to have a cold and demeaning look on her face. Strangely enough, he could feel _his_ reiatsu inside of her body. He touched his neck for any puncture wounds, but found none. They had already healed, but Ichigo knew that was the only way Moka could've had his Hollow's reiatsu within her.

"Do you have a split personality Kurosaki Ichigo?" Ichigo heard Moka ask him. His response was to change to the subject as he turned to Hokuto

"Did you dispel the barrier?" Ichigo asked and Hokuto merely grinned.

"I did." He spoke triumphantly as he gazed at him, "There's nothing you can do about it now. Soon the world will be filled with the sounds of destruction as monsters and humans fight against one another!"

Ichigo Shunpo'd over to the console, confusing Hokuto. "There's nothing you can do about it Kurosaki Ichigo. No matter how much power you have, the Grand Barrier was made with the Youkai of the Dark Lords, whom are in a different league of their own even in comparison to monsters. It will suck away all of your energy and kill you."

Ichigo merely cast him a sideway glance before a strange smirk appeared on his face. One thing Ichigo had grown to like was exceeding people's expectations. He secretly enjoyed it when he did things that were normally considered 'impossible.' It made him laugh because technically, even his own _existence_ shouldn't be possible. Now as he got down to business, he would once again be proving the impossible, possible.

He didn't know what to expect, but was surprised to feel the Altar draining him of his energy rapidly. It was like it was being sucked into a void of eternal emptiness, and he actually felt a bit strained. It was daunting, demanding more and more. Thankfully his seal had been released when he had regained control; even so, he wondered how much energy it would take. It had already taken the excess energy he constantly released, and now it was going to his main reserves. It was taking away layers seemingly as it poked and prodded somewhere around Ichigo. He was a little unnerved to find that by the time a minute had passed, it had already taken one-tenth of his current power. It took another minute for the barrier to be satiated before he was able to pull off the rosary from the console.

"W-What?" Hokuto demanded, utterly confused at such amazing display of raw power.

"I agree. That shouldn't be possible, even if you _are_ strong." Ichigo turned to Moka whom had walked up to him. Her eyes flicked over his face, searching for answers. Ichigo confronted the Vampire, not a hint of fear in his features.

"I've fought a lot." Was his irritatingly simply answer. Moka proceeded to grab him by the collar as her face closed the distance between them.

"What kind of beings could you have _possible_ fought to merit such power? I demand to know." He tone was icy, leaving no room for jokes.

"Ones that make a Vapmire look like a kid." Ichigo replied in an even tone as Moka narrowed her eyes at him.

"Tell me, what are the names of these beings then _if_ you've fought them."

"That's none of your concern." Ichigo replied as he forced himself out of Moka's grasp.

"You will tell me." Moka got into a combative stance, "Or I will force it out of you."

Ichigo let out an exasperated sigh as he brought a hand to his head and scratched it. "Look, we don't have to do this. I wasn't here to fight you."

His only answer was a kick straight to the face, which he ducked narrowly. This was followed by a knee that had intended to knock the air out of him, but had failed by a well placed guard before Ichigo jumped back. "Stop this!" He told her, "We don't need to fight. We're not enemies."

"Anyone who disgraces the name of a Vampire is an enemy." Moka's chilly voice told all that needed to be told. She homed in on the boy, rearing her hand back in an attempt to impale him. With an impressive feat of reflexes, Ichigo grabbed the hand and used her momentum to throw her to the ground as he reverted back to his old hand-to-hand style. However, a Vampire was all but helpless as Moka gyrated her body to land on her feet and instead latched onto Ichigo's hand to fling him across the room. The Shinigami flipped himself in mid-air and landed on his feet. His eyes hardened as he realized that this Moka did not listen to reason. His face returned to that of a warrior's as he sought his next move. It came quickly to him in the form of Moka lunging at him with a series of kicks.

He took a step back, then another, then another. He was always one step ahead Moka's reach and it infuriated the silver-haired Vampire to no degree. Her attacks now came at him with more brutality and speed than before, but they also came at a sloppier pace. Ichigo noticed a gap in between her kicks and realized that was her weakness. He timed himself properly before blocking one kick and entering her guard, he put a decent amount of power into his fist and rammed it into her gut. She couldn't even groan in agony as the punch had knocked the wind out of her.

Then to her surprise, Ichigo grabbed her wrist and made her spin around so that her back was facing him. He held the captured arm to her back, making it immovable before he kicked the back of her knees. She fell and now lay face-flat on the floor as Ichigo pinned her down. She could only stare and think angry thoughts at the boy who had managed to best her in combat. That did not mean she took it gracefully as once she got her wind back, she struggled to get free. Even with his own power flowing through her, she couldn't budge.

And as she looked at him out of the corner of one eye, she couldn't help but think that he truly was the perfect mate for her. He had a weakness of caring for others, but the look in his eyes told her that he did things when they needed to be done. In a sense, he was almost equally as ruthless as she was. She would not admit to any of this though for the sake of her pride. He would find out if he eventually took the other Moka or not. But if he did take her, it would not be as a mistress. No, it would be as a mate, anything less would be unbecoming of a Vampire.

"If I let go, you won't try to kick me right?" Moka looked at Ichigo's steely gaze, his knees pressing painfully against her back. Even so, a strange urge formed in her gut as he looked at his rough and glaring eyes. He had won, and it would also be unbecoming of a Vampire to lose indignantly like a child.

"Fine, I accept. You have won this match. I promise I won't kick you." She stated simply and evenly, her emotions held in check. Ichigo looked at her, hoping to see any sign of deception. When he found none, he slowly got up, still wary of the person in front of him. She dusted herself off before eyeing him in a manner that made Ichigo feel as if he were under a microscope.

"I'm a bit hungry. Would you mind if I replenished?" She asked rather politely, which made Ichigo a bit suspicious.

"Sure." He replied as an invisible smile, one that Ichigo wasn't sure had been there, touched her lips. Surprisingly, she was gentle with him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in. He shivered as she licked the area where she intended to bite. Finally she sank her fangs into his neck and sucked on the life force within him. She drank gently, opting to let it flow into her mouth. She took a few gulps, and was always rewarded with that ecstatic feeling. She could feel his power, the pure one this time flow freely through her. It touched her senses as her body began feeling warmer and more sensitive. Her clothes rubbed against her, the friction feeling immensely wonderful against the more sensitive areas of her feminine body. A haze wrapped around her mind as she leaned into him. He could feel him tense at the motion, but for the moment she was lost in a wonderful bliss as she began rubbing against him.

No sooner had she started doing that than she was pulled away. "What are you doing?" Ichigo nearly roared, his eyes dangerous despite the reddening in his ears. For roughly two seconds he got no response, only a blissful stare and glazed eyes before her eyes focused on the boy in front of her.

"Your blood and power are more… refined." She stated, not answering his question. Ichigo simply looked flabbergasted at the response as he shook his head.

"You're not going to tell me are you?" Ichigo asked with a frown. Suddenly Moka's face closed the gap between theirs.

"Maybe." Her voice lowered, adding a sultry feeling to her tone, "Only if you plan on seducing me will you ever know the reasons behind my actions." A slight smirk pulled at the edges of her lips as her attuned hearing heard Ichigo's heart speed up.

The Rosario began crackling once more as Ura Moka felt it tug on her conscious mind. "It seems I will be going back to being dormant. Take care of the Outter Moka, she plans to get you no matter what the cost." Suddenly he grabbed his collar and yanked him forward, "But remember this, _I_ will not settle for being a mistress. If you choose the other Moka, it _will_ be as the mate." Finally the Rosario's energy swallowed her and the pink-haired Moka was back, albeit unconscious.

Ichigo moved to grab her before she fell to the ground. His thoughts were buzzing as he felt rather weird at the moment. He didn't know why it was so hard to comprehend the fact that this girl had two different personalities. Heck, he himself had _three_ including himself! Ichigo shook his head, somehow, he felt like he needed a quiet place to stay and just think… maybe with Kurumu at his side, he thought unconsciously.

Then all the lights went off in his head as he whipped around. Hokuto was nowhere in sight, seemingly to have disappeared in all the commotion. Ichigo stretched out his senses to find him, but to his surprise, he couldn't get a read on his spiritual energy despite it being bigger than most monsters here. Then he realized he couldn't really sense anything else since the residual energy of the Grand Barrier seemed to have an E.M.P effect on his sensory abilities. He sighed, feeling like he could _really_ use some R&R and some good shut-eye. Sure what he had just been through wasn't exactly life-threatening, but in its own way, it was every bit as stressful as being in Hueco Mundo. Stupid drama…

He sighed though. First thing first, he would have to take Moka back to her dorm. Then he would have to clear things out with the headmaster and straighten things out.

* * *

"I guess Ichigo fixed things." Kurumu said out loud, noticing that the barrier wasn't falling anymore.

Mizore nodded in agreement. "Now you're free to molest him even more milk jugs."

This earned a tic mark on Kurumu's head as she turned to Mizore, scowling, "For the very last time, I do _not_, absolutely _not _molest him!" She huffed before she was bombarded by the laughter of Tsukune and Mizore. "What's so funny?"

"Your scowl looks like Ichigo's." Tsukune chuckled. Kurumu's eyes widened slightly as a blush adorned her cheeks.

"Y-You're just messing with me!" She defended only earning a shake of the head from Mizore.

"No. You really did look like him for a moment." Mizore said coolly, only causing Kurumu's blush to deepen. Mizore and Tsukune continued grinning at the now silent Succubus.

"Relax, that's not a bad thing." Mizore said in a manner of apologizing. But Kurumu shook her head.

"I know." She said with a smile, "I guess it means that he really _is_ my Destined One."

Mizore blinked before a small smile tugged at the edge of her lips. "Yea, I guess so." Then she turned to Tsukune and asked, "You wrote that down?"

Tsukune nodded as he finished writing everything down on his notebook. Kurumu, confused, lifted up her head to take a better look at the book since she was to Mizore's right while Tsukune was to his girlfriend's left. "What's that?"

Both Tsukune and Mizore froze as they hid the book. "Ah, nothing." Tsukune said in hopes of dissuading her.

"Well it's not 'nothing' if you're trying to hide it from me." She countered as she stepped in front of Tsukune. "Can I see?"

Suddenly Mizore appeared in front of Tsukune, effectively blocking Kurumu. "No molesting my boyfriend. Only I can do that." Mizore said as Tsukune sweatdropped.

Kurumu placed her hands on her hips, feeling a bit indignant at the remark. "It's not like I was going to seduce him."

"….No molesting." Mizore persisted as Kurumu let out an exasperated sigh, giving up.

"Fine, whatever." She said as she walked away, "I'll see you guys later. I really need to change these clothes, they're starting to fall apart."

Almost reflexively Mizore covered Tsukune's eyes even though he really hadn't been paying attention. He shrugged mentally; she was probably just messing around with them. But he didn't bother moving her hand, just in case she wasn't.

"Alright, we'll see you later Kurumu-chan." Tsukune said his goodbye to the girl despite not being able to see her at the moment. Mizore simply nodded before Kurumu bid her farewells and left them.

* * *

Ichigo sighed as he massaged the back of his neck. He had told the headmaster Hokuto had gotten away, but the chairman didn't seem even the least bit bothered. The wounds that had been inflicted on him were gone and he was back to his usual grinning self. He massaged his temple with one hand as he opened the door to his room. For a brief moment he wondered if Kurumu would be there, but only saw emptiness as he stepped into the living room. He wondered for a moment where she was before mentally slapping himself. He reached out with his senses and felt he aura via ribbon. She seemed to be approaching his dorm actually, which surprised him a little. It would make sense though… he kinda left them hanging now that he realized it and he started to feel a little bad about it.

There was no time for that though as he looked around. He was actually rather thankful that he had been busy all day. He hadn't had time to go to his room and so, it was left relatively clean. Aside from a shirt on the couch from a quick change and a couple of crumbled pieces of paper, he was fine. Then again, even at home he had rarely been messy. He had good work ethic, or at least better than the average teenager. A though crossed his mind as he sighed. What was he going to make for dinner? Sure he brought chicken from the cafeteria and even managed to get some frozen vegetables (thanks to Tsukune who could _not_ get used to the monster food either), but the problem remained, he couldn't cook. He wondered if he should've taken a course in cooking… hmm…

Too late for that now. Kurumu would be here any minute and…

_Knock Knock Knock_

Well, it seemed 'any minute' had arrived. He ran a hand through his hair and briefly put a hand in front of his mouth to see if his breath smelled good. When everything checked out fine, he went to open the door. He was immediately greeted by a tight embrace that left him feeling rather embarrassed.

"Err… everything alright?" Ichigo asked as he returned the hug, albeit, a bit slowly.

Kurumu nodded into his chest. "Well, aside from the fact that you freaked me out when you suddenly left, everything's alright." She replied as Ichigo felt like mentally slapping himself. Of course she'd be worried!

He reassured her via kiss on the forehead before Kurumu peeked up at Ichigo. "I don't get you sometimes Ichigo." She started, confusing the Shinigami.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

She shook her head playfully at him. "When you're in the mood, you can be passionate. But other than that, you act like all shy and embarrassed… almost like a little kid!" At the remark, Ichigo looked away, not really sure how to reply to that.

Then he felt himself tense up as Kurumu ran her slender hands up his chest, over his shoulders before hooking them around his neck. "Maybe I'll just have to keep you in the mood?" She teased him as she leaned in, her luscious lips so painfully close as Ichigo's heart began racing. With her chest pressed against his, she could feel his excitement and felt her own heart speed up to catch up to his. Her grip around his neck tightened as her lips barely brushed over his before…

_Grumble Grumble_

The couple froze before Kurumu erupted into a fit of giggles. Ichigo himself scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as a sheepish look crossed his features. "Are you hungry Ichigo?" She asked, simply messing with him before her own stomach growled.

"Heh, guess I'm not the only one that's hungry." He pointed out as Kurumu blushed.

"I-I guess I am." She replied with a grin before asking, "Do you have something to eat?"

"I do… but I haven't cooked it yet." He admitted.

"How come?"

He frowned. "I can't cook." He replied before realizing they were still at the door. "You want to come in?"

"Huh? Oh yea!" She accepted and entered his room. Immediately she went into his kitchen and looked around. "What do you have?'

"Well. I have chicken and some frozen veggies." She turned to look at him with questioning look. "What? I don't like the other food they serve."

"But it tastes great!" She retorted.

"Not for humans." Ichigo was quick on the draw as he replied. Kurumu tilted her head before remembering that Ichigo was in fact, human… even if he was a severely overpowered one at that.

"Well, don't worry. I know some human recipes since I love sweets. I'm sure I can cook something up!" She smiled at him as he returned it with a grin.

"Thanks."

* * *

Dinner came an hour later, and it couldn't have came any sooner as Ichigo was already at the table waiting for some _real_ food… or at least, he hoped so.

"There we go!" Kurumu said as she placed a plate with two pieces of chicken and some steamed veggies. "Enjoy!"

"I think I will." Ichigo nearly drooled at the wonderful aroma emanating from the meal. His stomach begged him to begin eating and as he picked up his fork, he granted his stomach's wishes and began to chow down. Kurumu was nearly overjoyed to see him eating her food so fervently. He hadn't even stopped to say it tasted good… then a thought crossed her mind. He might've been so hungry that it probably didn't matter to him whether it tasted good or not. She was sure that wasn't the case… but just to make sure…

"Do you like it?" She asked and nearly panicked when Ichigo banged his chest, seemingly choking before the food went down his throat.

"Delicious." He replied in a raspy voice before taking a swig of water. He cleared out his throat before looking at Kurumu's worried eyes.

"I'm alright." He assured her, noting the look of relief she gave him.

"You should be more careful." She gently chastised him as she wagged a finger at him.

"Well, it did taste good, so it's not entirely my fault." He replied, unaware of how happy his response had made her. She smiled at him tenderly as a faint blush touched her cheeks. Ichigo was completely unaware of this as he continued to stuff himself. After a minute of staring, Kurumu's own growling stomach reminded her of the fact that she hadn't eaten either. And so she ate, though in a more delicate way than her boyfriend. Still, he wasn't a slob as he didn't chew with his mouth open or take another bite before having finished the first one. He did eat fast though, not that she minded since he did like her food. And as she continued eating, she couldn't help but sneak in a couple of glances from time to time as her heart felt just a little bit closer to his over this simple meal.

* * *

"No offense Mizore-chan… but why is your food always so cold?" Tsukune asked as he looked at what was literally just an ice cube. He was sure there was food inside of it… but this was just too much!

"I'm a snow girl." She replied as if that was the most obvious answer. "Do you not want it?"

"No no… just asking." Tsukune sighed as he chipped away at the ice, hoping that the contents inside proved to be tasty at least.

This was going to be a long dinner…

* * *

"I haven't had good cooking like this in a while." Ichigo complimented Kurumu, the meal progressing just as his girlfriend had hoped. He had gone for seconds, though this time he ate at a slower pace. She smiled sweetly as he still ate, and for a moment felt utterly relaxed. It was hard to believe that not even a few hours ago they had been under attack, the force field nearly collapsed, and yet now they were simply eating dinner together as if nothing had happened.

"I kinda missed this." Kurumu said off-handedly, feeling a bit wistful suddenly. Ichigo noticed this and paused from eating to stare at Kurumu.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Kurumu shrugged, looking away for a brief moment before turning back. "It just feels like we haven't had much time together."

"Oh." Ichigo looked thoughtful for a bit, feeling a bit guilty that Kurumu sounded so gloomy. "I've been busy I guess."

"I know." She said, acknowledging his work. "You did what you have to do. I just thought we would've been able to hang out after school like you said we would."

"Yea. Something tells me that Aizen… err… Hokuto planned it out that way." Ichigo noted the stare she was giving him and knew he had been caught. Still… maybe she hadn't actually noticed and…

"Who's Aizen?"

Never mind…

Ichigo's brown eyes met Kurumu's violet, serious ones as he knew she wouldn't back down. He looked at the remaining food on his plate as he came to a decision. It was inevitable that he would eventually tell her who and what he was. He was rather surprised she hadn't asked earlier, knowing her curious nature at times. She must've cared more about him than his past. He smiled tenderly at that, which confused his girlfriend a bit more even as she blushed at the cute look on his face.

"Ah, he was a really bad person I had to fight." He replied as her looked at her with a semi-serious gaze, "You've been wanting to hear about my past right?"

He got a nod as he continued, "Alright... I guess I'll tell you after I'm done eating." He saw Kurumu's eyes widen in anticipation. He couldn't help but shake his head though, albeit, playfully. Then… he saw a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Glad you finally decided to come out of the closet." She joked with him, earning a scowl in return. She pretended to be scared for a moment, noting Ichigo softening his glare before she stuck her tongue out playfully at him, "You know I'm kidding!"

"Yea, better not make me…" He muttered underneath his breath, but sadly, Kurumu had heard this as she leaned in, cupping her ear as if to better hear him.

"What was that? 'Better not make you'?" She went back into her chair as she tapped her chin thoughtfully, "You know… I've been the one doing all the pursuing. Maybe it might not be a joke at all."

She paused when she heard Ichigo growl lightly, her lips curving upwards even as she tried to suppress a smile. "That would explain why you don't like being hugged and maybe why you like fighting. When you fight, you're always around guys soOOOO!"

She shrieked when Ichigo used that speed trick on her and appeared right next to her, tipping the chair back slightly. Out of reflex she held onto the seat of the chair and was now looking directly into the eyes of a serious and deadly Ichigo. "I'm going to make you regret saying those words." His voice rough and hard sent chills down her spine as he looked at her with wanting eyes. Not a split second later Ichigo brought his lips crashing down on hers, his shocked girlfriend in a trance before realizing she was being kissed. Ichigo pulled away momentarily and Kurumu looked into his eyes, vaguely noting that Ichigo still scowled even while kissing. But that didn't matter at the moment. Slowly she reached out with one hand behind his neck and pulled him in. Their lips met once more before she could feel Ichigo pressing himself deeper into the kiss.

She felt his possessiveness in his kiss, the way his lips moved as if claiming hers. It wasn't anymore about proving her wrong. He was in the mood. She traced a finger along his jaw while Ichigo planted feather-light kisses on her upper lip, almost _teasing_ her to her blissful surprise. Her heart was beating terribly fast as her mind began to fog up. She reached out with her hand and ran it through his hair, enjoying the feel of it between her fingers. Her desire for the boy in front of her rose as she unintentionally moved her tongue between her lips. Ichigo jerked a bit in surprise, but reached out his own tongue to greet hers.

A shock rippled through him… this was an entirely new sensation. The wetness of her tongue intermingled with his own saliva added a sensual sensation. He wanted to explore it, wanted to feel the full satisfaction of it. He rolled his tongue around hers before he pushed it back into her mouth. He felt her surprise, but then it melted away as Kurumu relaxed, allowing Ichigo to do what he wanted. She sighed pleasantly, a chill racking up her spine as he caressed the side of her arm before moving upwards, back towards her cheek and cupping it. He explored her mouth, his tongue running over her teeth and gums and anything else he could touch. Her airy moans hinted at the good he was doing at keeping her enticed; and that made him all the more greedy with his actions. She shuddered as calloused hands moved down the neck, almost teasing her as they followed the curve of her wondrous mounds, though not touching them. A glimmer of frustration touched her when he didn't touch them, but it melted away when strong fingers brushed against her stomach, right above where the ache centered.

"That's what you get for messing with me…" He whispered over her lips, realizing that Kurumu wasn't particularly paying attention by now. Her only response was to move his mouth away from her plush lips and onto the smooth, creamy skin of her neck. His lips were millimeters away from her skin, but even so he could still feel that fast pulse and the head radiating off her body. His own heart hammered away as her wondrous scent wavered into his nose, drowning him in her femininity. He caved in as he planted gentle kisses on her neck, enjoying the way her grip in his hair would tighten from each soft kiss. The gentle sounds coming from her mouth made clouded his mind as he began losing himself to his desires that seemingly came out of nowhere. He didn't care, all that mattered was getting as much of her as possible.

"Use your tongue." Ichigo heard Kurumu say, and was more than happy to obliged. A soft sigh escaped her lips as Ichigo ran his tongue over her sensitized skin. Her breath hitched as Ichigo grabbed some of her flesh between her lips and started sucking on it. A jolt ran through her, all the way to the heated core that pooled low in her belly. She rubbed together as gratifying static jolted through her body. Her body jerked as she brought a shaky hand to that area that most men would die for. She gasped harshly when Ichigo moved onto her ear, a bold move. His hot breath washed over her ear, tickling her but instead of laugh, she moaned uncontrollably as her legs closed around her hand which pressed against her moist and hot core.

Ichigo paused despite his mildly delirious state. That erotic sound had reached his ears and shaken him. His eyes finally focused and noticed Kurumu's ear, wet and dripping from his saliva as a new scent came in that toyed with his senses. He pulled away, still remembering to hold the chair lest his girlfriend fall. He looked at her, and she looked at him. Her eyes vibrated with desire for him, and Ichigo clearly felt his body respond to that as his pants grew tighter. He gulped as he looked at her inviting lips, which were parted slightly as ragged breaths escaped. The helpless look nearly made Ichigo cave into his desires completely, but he somehow managed to pull away. Suddenly Kurumu threw her head back as she let out another moan that made Ichigo fully erect. He saw movement from her arm before trailing her eyes down. His eyes widened, nearly popping out of their sockets. There, Kurumu's hand was between her legs, gently massaging away in desperation of trying to alleviate the ache growing within her. Feeling suddenly nervous, he pulled from her, bumping the table along the way.

Of course, he failed to realize that without his hand supporting the chair, Kurumu was in for a nasty drop.

"Eek!" Kurumu yelled as the back of her head hit the hard floor. Her passions receded to the back of her mind, all but gone due to the pain. The only thing that remained was a dull ache in her lower belly as she got up, miffed

The first thing she took noted of was Ichigo's bright red face that could've lit up half the city. His back was pressed against the table, seemingly afraid as he half-sat on it. His hands gripped tightly against the wood… and speaking of which, Kurumu noted Ichigo had yet to cool down judging from the bulge in his pants. She tilted her head at him, a questioning gaze on her face.

"What's wrong?" She asked and couldn't help her irritation that made its way into her voice. When Ichigo wouldn't look into her eyes, she took manners into her own hand. She walked over to him, bending forward slightly as she looked at him eye-to-eye. Her features softened up though, because she knew he was still new to this. Ichigo seemed to respond to this as his blush died down, though not by much.

"Uhh…" He struggled to speak, feeling as if his voice would crack if he did. He looked down briefly at Kurumu's hand… the one that had touched _that_ part of her. He swallowed hard when the bulge in his pants grew bigger as Kurumu followed his line of sight. Suddenly her blush deepened as her heart nearly stopped. She lifted a hand, noticing the gooey stuff that stretched between her index and middle finger.

"Err…" She paused as an intense blush painted her cheeks, "Well, at least this proves you're a man." She grinned at Ichigo's disbelieving look, which quickly reverted back to an embarrassed one when he looked at the substance in Kurumu's fingers.

"I have to admit, it was one of the better make-out sessions we've had." Kurumu admitted with an embarrassed grin, a hint of shyness in her low tone. She peeked at him from her lowered gaze and saw him very much in debate with himself judging from the way he was muttering.

"That aside…" He decided the best thing to do was move onto a different topic, "What did you want to talk about?"

Dismay touched Kurumu's features, but only for a brief second. This was Ichigo… and she _did _promise to take things easy. She allowed the change as they moved into the living room and sat on the couch. Though, when she did, she really felt the wetness of her panties. They weren't soaked, but they were wet enough to make a _squishy_ noise when she sat down. This got her heart pacing a little bit faster as she looked to her side, her libido playing with her mind as her attention shifted to the strong lines of Ichigo's jaw. He actually was handsome, she thought. His scowl made him ferocious and menacing, yet she knew of his gentle side which made him attractive both emotionally and physically. She nearly giggled when a wayward thought struck her. He was more of a bit teddy bear than a fighter. When the giggle died down, she suddenly felt like sighing and Ichigo noted her lowered mood.

"Is something wrong?" Ichigo asked right away, making her shake her head playfully.

"No, everything is alright." She opened her eyes and looked at him, and noticed his brown eyes staring curiously at her, though she could tell he was still a bit unnerved by the earlier incident.

"Oh, good."

"Yea, you were very good." She teased and just loved the way his face lit up like that. Then, to add more fuel to the fire, she said, "You're a quick learner though. How'd you know I'd enjoy it if you sucked on my neck?

"I-It sort of came out." He replied embarrassingly. He could feel his heart begin to pound once more as he remembered what he did… though… it was a bit hazy now that he thought about it. He had been so into it… it was almost as if he hadn't been the one in control. But he was, and he couldn't blame his Hollow for this.

Kurumu gently patted his arm as she moved it up and down soothingly. "It's alright, it's part of being attracted to one another. There's nothing embarrassing about that now is there?"

Ichigo gave a hesitant nod as he ran his hand through his hair, remembering how Kurumu had been grasping him in nearly the same way. "I guess not." He admitted, though his face said he was still far from convinced.

Kurumu's lips curled downward in a slight frown, but didn't do anything else. Not wanting to ruin the moment, she changed subjects. "So who is this Aizen fellow?" She asked and was surprised to see Ichigo's embarrassment wash away almost immediately, and be replaced by a hard look that made him look like he had been through many hardships. This made her all the more curious as to who this 'Aizen' person was, and from what she could figure, he wasn't good at all. She remained quiet as Ichigo hesitantly began at first, but not before long, he was already well on his way in explaining his past.

One thing led to another and Ichigo spent the next two hours talking about himself, his friends, what had happened to him, what Soul Society was, and anything else he could add in. This was to say, Kurumu was feeling nearly overwhelmed by what she heard. What shocked her most was not what he had been through, though that did make her immensely worried for him, but the fact that he had already died multiple times. She didn't know how dying felt like, but it couldn't have been too healthy, especially when Ichigo mentioned about his 'Hollow' had taken over. The memory of said Hollow came to her mind; it had been the first time she'd met him. In a way, he had been the opposite of Ichigo. He had been carefree, not worrying about anything except the thrill of the moment, simply happy to be alive and doing as he pleased… even if what he liked doing was lethal to anyone else. It seemed she was having a dinner made of surprise and shock when she heard Ichigo say that _he_ was attracted to her as well. It did explain why _he_ didn't attack her or do anything else… still.

She looked up when she saw Ichigo yawn. Looking at the clock, she noticed it was already ten thirty at night. It wasn't that late by most students' standards, especially since some of them were nocturnal, but what Ichigo had told her must've taken it out of him. It was just as well, her mind was practically spinning with what he had just said. Maybe a good, long night's rest would help out.

She grabbed his hand and he looked at her. "I'm glad you told me this," She said honestly, "It shows how much you care for me." She was pleasantly surprised to see Ichigo smile softly at her, a gentle look on his face that was rarely there.

"Yea well," He wrapped an arm behind Kurumu's waist and pulled her in closer, "You convinced me with your stubbornness you know." He grinned at the indignant look on her face.

"Well if I hadn't done anything, we wouldn't even be holding hands!" She huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. She was a bit taken back when Ichigo chuckled, and blushed at how nice it sounded.

"Either way, I'm glad." His deep voice sent shivers running throughout Kurumu as her heart quickened. It thundered even more when Ichigo turned his gaze toward her, his brown eyes looking into hers, shining affection.

"You turn me on so much Ichigo…" She let the words unconsciously slip from her mouth. Ichigo's reaction was immediate as he looked away, but she had already seen his blush.

"Just curious." Ichigo blew out a harsh breath to try and steady his nerves, "Why do you… want to… you know, so badly?"

"Well, it's not like I want to," She eyed Ichigo's body and blushed, "Not that I wouldn't." Now Ichigo blushed, "But there's a 100 percent way of knowing if you're my Destined once, which I already know you are, but it just happens to be done through that process."

Ichigo was a bit skeptical, but since Kurumu hadn't lied to him he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. Still, there was a question that persisted on his mind and he decided to voice it, "And… what exactly is it that proves I'm your Destined One?"

An unexpected turn of events occurred when Kurumu gave a light gasp, almost as if she hadn't been expecting the question before turning away. A nervous blush presented itself on her face as she fiddled with her hands in her lap. The way she was acting made it look… extremely cute, but he had to wonder why she shied away

"Something wrong?" Ichigo asked curiously, moving to try and get a better look at her face.

Kurumu shook her head. "N-No. It's just… it's kind of embarrassing that I need _that_ to break in order to know…" She stopped and immediately covered her mouth at the slip. She turned to face him, eyes wide and frantic at the fact that she had been exposed… that is… until she saw the blank look on Ichigo's face.

"Need what to break?" He asked simply. Kurumu let her hands dangle limp at her side… Ichigo was… too innocent for a boy his age.

"Nothing… you don't need to worry about it Ichigo." She smiled at him as Ichigo decided to leave it that way, deciding with a yawn that it was getting late and that he really needed some sleep.

"Well, we can always talk about it later," He surmised as Kurumu let out a quiet sigh of relief, "I'm getting kind of sleepy, want me to walk you to your dorm?"

Kurumu was thankful for the gesture, but shook her head. "It's alright, you look like you're about to drop dead." Ichigo dully nodded his agreement as Kurumu giggled.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then!" She said before leaning in and giving her boyfriend a quick kiss on the lips. It ended being more than she had bargained for as Ichigo pulled her by the waist and invaded her mouth with his tongue, massaging the edges of her lips before letting go of a breathless Kurumu

"Ichigo…" Kurumu breathed out as said boy scratched the back of his head, wondering why he had done that, though, the grin on his lips told anyone looking that he had enjoyed it immensely.

"You're getting better." She suddenly let him know, "I can't wait for the day that we can do that in public!" She hummed happily before jumping off the couch. Ichigo watched her retreating figure and couldn't help but notice that Kurumu had a nice ass as well…

"Later!" Kurumu waved at him before closing the door behind her, leaving Ichigo to a peculiar night of pleasant and wondrous dreams.

*Hint hint*


	36. Festival

**Pardon if it seems awkward at any point, but I tried putting more humor than my funny bones have. Also, I'm going to be adding a little bit of TsukuneXMizore here because well, that's central to the storyline. Not so much Yukari or Ruby, but they will be in there… I think…**

**I also got a bit sappy somewhere along the road… or did I delete it? I sometimes write these Author Notes while writing, before writing, or after writing and I end up forgetting what I did and don't change the Author Notes to reflect the story. Soz about that!**

**X X X X X X X**

"Tsukune-kun?" Said person looked at the person calling out to him. It was Thursday, a day before the festival. Everyone had been busy setting up tents, stations, and stalls for the various foods, games, and other amusements. But now, Moka had pulled Tsukune away in the midst of all of this to speak to him.

"Is there something wrong?" Tsukune asked, noting the way her eyebrows furled in concentration. Whatever she was thinking about, it weighed heavily on her mind.

"No… it's just… can I ask you for a favor?" She looked at him, her eyes were pleading and Tsukune frowned slightly. They weren't particularly close… but a friend _is_ a friend…

"What do you need?"

Moka took in a breath. "I would like you to use your ability to let the other Moka out when I need to."

Tsukune's reaction was to have his mouth nearly hit the floor. "W-What?" He exclaimed with a flabbergasted look.

Moka put her hands together and bowed her head. "Please, just this once! I've been talking to Ura-Moka and well… she would like to talk to Ichigo when the time comes."

Tsukune thought about this carefully. He knew about the feud between her and Kurumu. What could Moka be planning that she would need her other self? He sighed as he contemplated. He didn't like it when people begged him… he was too soft-hearted for that. That's why he always gave in to Mizore's whims whenever she wanted to cook… even if it turned out bad most of the time. Hoping he wouldn't regret it, he caved in and agreed.

"Thank you so much Tsukune-kun!" She beamed at him and Tsukune scratched the back of his neck.

"Sure… no problem…"

_October 29__th __(Day 1 of 3)_

"Please?"

"No."

"Just one?"

"No."

Nekonome frowned, her ears drooping as she looked at the delectable fish just in front of her, waiting to be eaten. "I'll give you an A on your final grade."

Ichigo covered his face with one hand in frustration as he blew out a harsh breath. "I already have an A."

Nekonome's ears twitched as she thought. "I'll let you skip classes whenever you want to!"

"I don't skip classes anyways unless it's an emergency." He replied curtly, trying to rein in his patience at his Sensei's behavior.

Nekonome hummed in a thought as a brilliant thought occurred to her. "I know! I'll take off my shirt if you let me eat the fish!" She smiled, happy at how brilliant her plan was.

Ichigo's eyes grew wide as saucers as a blush turned his face lobster red. "Sensei! What the hell are you saying?"

The teacher shrank bank at her student's harsh tone, not understanding his reaction. "I thought all boys craved the body of a young woman?"

"You're not supposed to bribe your student like that! That's illegal!" Ichigo practically growled as the cat woman's ears lowered.

"It is?" She looked at him curiously, but at the authoritative look, shrank back as her ears drooped once more, "Sorry." She apologized.

Ichigo sighed, but let the teacher off with a warning. "Just don't do it again." Ichigo chastised her as Nekonome nodded. Feeling as if she wasn't going to get any fish, she decided to leave the stall.

Ichigo saw the curtain fall back into place and he wondered if he should've let Nekonome have a fish. They weren't really getting any customers, so it wasn't like missing a couple of fish would've done any harm.

"I take it business is slow?" He turned to see Moka in a red, slimming Yukata with floral patterns lining down the fabric. She wore a dazzling smile and her eyes seemed to be shining brightly.

Ichigo coughed at the display of cuteness. This outright display of flirtatious behavior reminded him of the other Moka and how she had reminded him that he needed to seduce her to find out what she was thinking. He also remembered her warning that this Moka wasn't going to give up easily either.

"Ah, yea, it's going slow." He said only to eat those words a moment later as murmurs from the crowd reached his ears.

"Isn't that girl cute?" Whispered one guy to his friend, who shook his head vigorously.

"She's beautiful in that Yukata! I want to hold her and cherish her for the rest of my life!" Equal amounts of praise were thrown at Moka, who heard this and started backing away nervously as the crowd started approaching her.

Ichigo sweatdropped. Somehow… this all seemed so very familiar…

"I want to go goldfish scooping!"

"Me too!"

"Me three!"

"I want her babies!"

"Aiiee!" Moka screamed as she was suddenly overwhelmed by the mass of people that had covered her. An uncomfortable shiver ran up her spine when she felt a hand caress her back, one that did not belong to a certain orange-haired boy. She tried squirming away from the touch, but only ended up further into the crowd. Thankfully for her Ichigo decided to intervene at that point. Muscling his way through the crowd with ease, and occasionally knocking a few people on their butts, he picked up Moka over his shoulder before Shunpo'ing away.

* * *

At a hallway just above and away from the swarm of people, Ichigo and Moka appeared into existence. Moka huffed at the indignant way she had been carried while Ichigo didn't seem all too bothered.

"You really should learn how to carry a girl properly Ichigo!" She told him despite the clearly confused look on his face.

"What? I carried you like I carry anyone else." He simply said.

"That's exactly the point! You don't carry a girl like she's a sack of potatoes! You carry her like a princess!" She explained to the dense boy, only earning a negligent shrug of the shoulders.

"Sorry." He apologized even though everything in his tone said he just didn't want to argue. Moka sighed before she grasped him by the arm, gently rubbing it against the round of her breast just enough for Ichigo to feel it.

"Come on! Let's enjoy the festival together Ichigo!" Moka hummed happily as she began her plan before a certain someone interrupted her.

"Oh no you don't! He's _mine_!" One moment, Ichigo was being lead one direction, and now he was being pulled another way.

"But you have him all the time! Share just once!" Moka pleaded as she tugged. For a brief moment, he felt like he was the rope in a tug'o war match as he was stretched comically from side to side.

"Yea, that's because he's my _boyfriend!_" She retorted as she pulled even harder.

"That doesn't mean you can't share!" She pulled with all the strength of her current form, both girls unaware of Ichigo's great discomfort.

'_If it wasn't for the fact that this was annoying, I'd think it's nostalgic.'_ Ichigo thought with a frown as he felt Zangetsu nod his head. _'At least they're getting along… I think…'_

After a particularly nasty pull, Ichigo decided to end the contest right then and there. He Shunpo'd away, leaving the two girls staggering and trying to gain their footing. Ichigo reappeared a few feet away from the girls in time to see another couple walk up to them.

"Yo!" Tsukune greeted as Mizore walked close to him, at his side, giving a nod of greeting as well.

"Hey." Ichigo acknowledged them. Tsukune took a look and noticed Kurumu and Moka glaring at one another, electricity sparking between their eyes as Tsukune sweatdropped.

"They're as active as ever aren't they?" Ichigo gave a reluctant nod.

"So what's going on with you guys?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, I'm going to meet Mizore-chan's mother." He noticed a look on Ichigo's face and grinned, "And I'm guessing you're going to meet Kurumu-chan's mom?"

Ichigo nodded. "Well good luck with that. I'm looking forward to it… but I can't help but feel a bit nervous."

"I know how you feel…" Ichigo said as his scowl, like usual, deepened when he thought about meeting Kurumu's mother. Sure they had talked about it earlier, but doing it was a completely different story. A chill ran through him as an eerie aura made itself present to the group. It even caused Moka and Kurumu to stop their quarreling.

"Oh." Mizore looked around and noticed someone hiding behind a corner. "Mother is here."

'_They're exactly the same…'_ Everyone thought, amazed at the similarities.

"Well, got to go now. Later Ichigo!" Tsukune said before being pulled away. Ichigo could only stare, hoping that his encounter with Kurumu's mom wouldn't be as strange…

Sadly, he was about to find out that hope only got you so far…

"Speaking of which," Ichigo heard Kurumu speak up, "Mom is going to meet us at the front of the school."

'_Great…'_ Ichigo thought dully. Well… at least his own dad wouldn't be able to make it. Who knows what that insane man would've done given the fact that he was dating a beautiful girl, and not only that, but had another one on his tail?

He took a look at Moka, who seemed to be feeling left out. Noticing his gaze, Kurumu looked at Moka too… and despite feeling like not wanting too, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. She still remembered how she had let Ichigo make the decision instead of being honest with Moka. With the current situation, her guilt made her atone for her crime as she sighed harshly before speaking up.

"Alright… I'll let you have him for one hour, but only one hour!" She could feel Ichigo's shock and Moka's happiness as she shook her head, wondering what was wrong with her. "Besides, I have to change into my Yukata first. But before that…"

Turning around quickly, she pulled on Ichigo's collar and forced him into a deep kiss… though as the moments passed, it didn't seem so forced anymore. Moka blushed at the intensity of the kiss, and only hoped that she would be able to do that with him one day. Her heart raced as she noticed a stretch of saliva barely connecting their lips as they parted. It made for an erotic scene, especially with how attractive Ichigo looked with that fiery gaze of his.

"Wow…" Kurumu could barely register anything else but the sensations she was feeling, "You really _are_ getting better."

"Huh?" Ichigo seemed even more out of it than she was judging from his response. She giggled cutely before she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips to prevent things from getting hotter… not that she would mind even if they were in public.

"Later!" She waved him goodbye and regretfully left her boyfriend to Moka, who smiled thankfully at her. Kurumu shook her head… why was she so damn soft-hearted?

Ichigo rubbed his head, closing his eyes momentarily to try and calm his still beating heart. He exhaled slowly before opening his eyes only to stare blankly at Moka, whose face was exceedingly close to his. Her eyes seemed to shimmer as she leaned close to him, a slight blush on her face as her beauty shone brightly.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, completely ignoring Moka's technique.

'_I failed…'_ Moka thought as she cried mentally.

"Well… I am a little hungry I guess." She said the only thing she could. Though… in a sense… this ritual was something he could never share with Kurumu. Feeling her spirits lift up a little, she dug her fangs in gently and felt bliss fill her being.

Ichigo blinked when he noticed everyone was beginning to stare. Then it came his realization that his earlier kiss with Kurumu might've attracted some attention and now here was Moka, feasting on his blood and seemingly having an orgasm.

"Well, it makes sense. He _is_ the most powerful monster here." Ichigo felt some students talking behind his back, literally, but couldn't do anything to turn around.

"Lucky bastard, and now he's using his status to hog all the pretty girls." Ichigo heard another guy say before he heard a painful grunt come from said person.

"Are you saying I'm not pretty?" Ichigo noted the angry female tone, and figured it was the guy's girlfriend who was now scolding him. He let the argument fade into the background as everyone's whispers began growing louder. He just hoped Moka would finish soon…

"Wow… Ithigo…" Ichigo blinked before staring down to see Moka's blushing and slightly delirious look.

"Moka?" He called to her, only earning a giggle.

"You blood ish so guuuud!" Moka hiccupped.

"Wait a minute." He looked carefully at her and suddenly remembered some of his dad's textbooks. "Are you durnk?" He asked incredulously.

"Mehbeh…" Moka slurred happily, verifying Ichigo's suspicions. "Iz not my fault your blood got gooder."

"_**Ha! What are the chances of that happening? I think you should take advantage of the situation kingy!"**_ Ichigo grimaced as he shut the voice up in his head by severing the link. He didn't want any perverse thoughts entering his head if he could help it, not that he would listen to his Hollow anyway.

If Ichigo had been claustrophobic, he would've surely been feeling it right now as the group from earlier surrounded them. Heck, he could feel their breaths at his back even as some of them tried looking over his shoulder. Just then, Ichigo felt like Moka could use some fresh air. Picking her up over his shoulders, completely ignoring Moka's drunk protests, he disappeared. But before he left the vicinity he could've sworn he heard clapping.

X

"Are you alright Moka?" He asked her as her eyes seemed more focused than before. Currently they were on the rooftop with Moka on the ground, Ichigo supporting her back with a hand. She had collapsed the moment she tried to stand on her own two legs and had needed Ichigo to ease her down to the ground.

"Yea… I have no idea what just happened." She admitted with a blush. "That's never happened before!"

'_You can say that again…'_ Ichigo thought as he mentally shook his head.

"Well do you feel better now?" He asked as he helped her to her feet.

Testing her movements, Moka nodded. "Yes, I think I'm feeling better now." Then she took the opportunity to test her feminine charms on him, starting with a grateful smile as she slowly tried leaning in…

It backfired as Ichigo simply nodded. "Sure, no problem."

Moka mentally cried as she felt herself wanting to pull out her hair. Suddenly the door swung open and a happy Yukari hopped through the door, skipping all the way towards them. "Moka! Ichigo! I found you guys!"

She beamed at them with a grin as she said, "I've been looking everywhere for your guys! I wanted you to meet my parents!" Yukari turned around and stretched her hand towards the door where two figures appeared. First came in a woman that wore the same exact costume as Yukari. The only difference was the dark purple dress she wore beneath her costume. She smiled at them before she moved out of the way to make room for her husband. The man entered and he too smiled at them. He didn't wear a costume, instead looked like a plain everyday kind of man. They seemed to be pretty happy people from what Ichigo figured.

Both parents walked up to them before the father stuck out a hand. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Yukari's father." Ichigo shook the man's hand before turning to the wife.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My wife is mute you see." Ichigo took note of the way the woman took out a notebook and began writing in it before turning it around.

"Pleased to meet you, I've heard so much from our daughter. I'm happy that Yukari is not alone in this school and is with people who accept her for who she is." Moka read for the both of them and couldn't help but feel a little gushy after reading the message.

"That's so sweet of you! It's an honor to be friends with such a cute and smart girl!" She bowed to them as Yukari's eyes widened with tears in her eyes.

"Moka!"

"Eep!" Moka was suddenly tackled by Yukari who began rubbing her face in her chest despite the Yukata.

"Heh, glad to see that they're so friendly!" Yukari's father stated as the mother nodded. Ichigo gave them a flat look as he looked at the scene below them. Moka was desperately trying to fight off Yukari who at the same time was trying to take off Moka's Yukata. He briefly blushed before looking away when he caught a glimpse of Moka's bra.

Her breasts really were larger than they looked….

Finally, after much struggling, Moka managed to pry off the hyper girl. With one hand, she kept her at bay as Yukari still tried to grope Moka. "Y-Yea. Yukari's a really good girl and a good friend. She's helped us out too when we were in trouble."

"That's right." Ichigo pitched in… mainly by grabbing Yukari who suddenly turned around to embrace him. "She's helped us out a lot and we're glad to be friends with her."

"Ichigo! Hmm…" Yukari murmured pleasantly as her face rubbed against the hard, toned muscle beneath the fabric. Moka gasped, and felt a little jealous that Yukari could be so bold as to do that to Ichigo in front of her parents.

The mother simply made a gesture that resembled giggling as she wrote something else. "Our daughter seems to have a little crush on you two." She smiled even as Moka and Ichigo sweatdropped.

'_It doesn't bother her at all?' _Both thought at once with incredulous looks. The simple, innocent smile on the mom's face made them realize just how clueless she was to her own daughter's thoughts.

"I… guess she does." Ichigo wasn't really sure what else to say. After all, how could he say that that Yukari more than just liked them, that she wanted to have a threesome?

"That's right mom! I want Ichigo to marry Moka and then let me share a bed with them!" Both people gasped as they turned to Yukari's parents. A greater shock befell Moka and Ichigo when the father simply gave her daughter a thumbs up while the mother bashfully blushed. What kind of parents were they?

Ichigo felt his hands reach up to his face, clutching it as he desperately felt like banging his head against a brick wall. Why was this place so messed up? Not only that, but no matter what seemed to happen, the thought that his dad would feel perfectly at home here always came to his mind. For the moment, Ichigo didn't think he could handle any more weirdness.

"Oh? So dis is where da lil girl was hidin?" Ichigo peeked through his hands, looking a bit comical as he saw, through his fingers, a man with tattoos snaking down the left side of his face all the way to the tips of his fingers on his left arm. He looked like a real thug to say the least.

"Y-You're the one that touched my back!" Moka pointed an accusing finger at the man, only earning a predatory grin.

"So ya remember my soft touch? I bet it felt a hella good didn't it?" He walked over to her and was about to touch her soft face when a hand stopped him.

"Huh?" A sinister sneer crossed his lips as he looked at the pip-squeak in front of him, trying to intimidate him, "What da fuck do ya want? Can't you see I'm tryin to pick up dis pretty one here?"

He forced his hand out of his grip as he cocked it back. "Fuck off!" He yelled as he threw the punch with all of his force.

Then, a shocking thing, something that he would've never thought could happen, happened. Ichigo stopped his attack. But it wasn't just that he stopped the attack, but _how_ he stopped it. He literally just lifted up a finger and stopped the attack without even moving a bit. In fact, the punch had hurt _him_ since the sudden stop jolted him a bit. He winced as he backed up.

"Who da fuck are ya?" He questioned the boy who seemed to not even exert the least bit of effort.

"Korsaki Ichigo." Ichigo got the reaction he expected as the person's eyes widened.

"_You're_ Kurosaki Ichigo?" The man seemed to have knowledge of him, and Ichigo used it to his advantage. Calling on a bit of his power, he walked up to the man as the energy surrounding him glowed eerily silent, yet feeling vast like still waters that ran deep.

The man, for his part didn't panic. Ichigo figured it must be because he had something with him that he thought would help. Ichigo was proven right when the man pulled out a gun.

"Ha! You may be the strongest monster, but even this gun will plug ya full of holes!" He grinned as he pointed it directly at Ichigo's chest. "Look, it's even enough ta scare the girlies over there!"

Ichigo turned around and true to what this person was saying, Yukari, Moka, and Yukari's parents backed away in fear of the gun. It seemed that even though there were strong monsters, they weren't invulnerable to weapons' fire. However, having been stabbed by many times the force of a bullet and come out unscathed made Ichigo feel the gun posed no threat to him.

"Not scared?" When the man met Ichigo's harsh glare, he clicked his tongue in annoyance as he gripped the trigger, "Ya asked for it!"

A shot rang out as the man grinned maliciously, only for his face to take on a look of sheer surprise to see the bullet not even go through his clothes, the strange energy stopping it. Ichigo picked up the bullet and looked at it briefly before taking it between his index finger and thumb and flicking it at the man's forehead. A loud _thwack_ was heard before the man collapsed backwards, unconscious.

"You're so awesome Ichigo!" Ichigo choked in surprise when Yukari jumped on his back and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. She wasn't really choking him though, he just didn't expect the sudden embrace and got surprised.

"As expected of the man whom our daughter likes." Yukari's father nodded, pleased at her daughter's choice of man.

Ichigo had a 'why me?' look on his face as he shook his head. Suddenly Moka pulled him by the arm, inadvertently taking Yukari with them. "Sorry, but we have to go now! It was nice meeting you!" She bowed, which was returned by the parents.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Akashiya-san, Kurosaki-san." Moka and Ichigo waved goodbye as they disappeared behind the door. Then a moment later Yukari was tossed back outside as she rubbed her tender butt. The parents looked at each other and merely shrugged.

* * *

"You didn't have to do that you know." Ichigo told Moka, who lowered her head.

"That's true, but I wanted my full hour with you alone. We already wasted a few minutes up there too." Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt a headache coming on. Thankfully it was averted as his patience came back to him in the nick of time.

"I guess that's alright." Ichigo replied. Before they realized it, they had arrived at their goldfish scooping stand, which was empty now that Moka wasn't tending the stall. Ichigo suddenly found himself dragged underneath the curtains and into the stall by an excited Moka.

"You seem energetic." He said noticing how happy she suddenly seemed at the moment.

"Yes. I was always alone on festival nights. Everyone always had someone else to be with them and cherish happy moments while I was alone." She recounted to him as Ichigo felt a bit of sympathy for Moka. He remembered how she had hated humans, and he wondered if this used to be part of the reason also.

Then she turned to smile at him. "Now I have you… even if it's only for a little bit." She blushed slightly as she paused to say her next words, "Hopefully, I will even be able to change your mind."

Ichigo knew what she was referring too, and it made him a bit uneasy. But he couldn't really do anything about it since he was kind enough to try and not burst her bubble. "Ah sure. Let's go with that." He replied.

"Well, since no one is here, why don't we try goldfish scooping?"

Ichigo shrugged. Might as well since there was nothing else to do.

* * *

Tsukune noted Tsurara's complexion. It was so pale, so pristine that it almost seemed like you could see through her. Not only that, but she was incredibly beautiful, just like her daughter. He supposed looks ran in the family.

"You must be Tsukune-san. My daughter often talks about you." She spoke pleasantly in a soft, well-mannered tone. Tsukune grinned, he was really glad Mizore's mother seemed like a kind lady.

"Yup, that would be me!" He replied, still trying to quell the nervous tone in his voice.

"No need to be so nervous. As long as you've been treating my daughter fairly and with the respect she deserves, there's nothing to be worried about."

Tsukune nodded, blowing out a relaxing breath to regain his composure. "Ah thanks. I wouldn't be with Mizore-chan if I wasn't." He replied, earning a gentle smile from Tsurara.

"That's good to hear." She said before moving on to business. "Have you thought of when you are going to marry Mizore?"

Tsukune knew that it would eventually come to this, Mizore had warned him after all. Though he wasn't exactly sure about his future, he definitely knew he wanted Mizore to be an integral part of his life. He nodded.

""Yes. We've actually been talking about it. I know how Snow Women don't have a long fertility periods." Tsurara nodded, pleased at how well informed Mizore's boyfriend was. "But I was hoping that the marriage could be postponed until after graduation?"

Tsurara looked at the boy, deep in thought. "Why is that?" She asked as she rolled the lollipop in her mouth.

"Well, Youkai Academy is a very dangerous place. Not only that, but if we continue our studies, the baby might grow up without the love it needs since we would be busy fighting or studying." He gave a solid argument, one that he and Mizore had come up with. They weren't trying to lie though; this is what they believed to be the best course. If they were going to have a baby, it would get all the love it needed. Nothing less.

Tsurara's smile widened a bit as her eyes closed. "It seems you have given this a lot of thought. This makes me very happy Tsukune-san." She turned towards her daughter before addressing her, "Mizore, you have chosen a fantastic person. I like him as well."

"Thank you mother. I don't think I could've done much better either." She said, a light blush tainting her cheeks. She looked over at her boyfriend when he squeezed her hand affectionately, offering a grin that made her heat skip.

Tsurara cupped her cheeks as fascination twinkled on her eyes. "Oh! So intimate! I'm surprised you have been able to keep your hands to yourself all this time!"

At those words, Mizore looked away abashed. Tsurara arched an eyebrow before it clicked. She gave a giggle as she nodded understandingly. "Don't worry about it. As long as you give me a child, feel free to be as intimate as you like." Then a reminiscent sigh escaped her lips.

"I was like that with your father. He was so full of life like Tsukune-san." She tapped a finger on her chin. "I'll have to plan something special when I get back to him."

They all shared a quiet laugh as they continued with the small talk for a few more minutes before Tsurara got up. "Well, it was nice meeting you Tsukune-san. I have to say, I whole-heartedly approve of you. I think my daughter will be very happy with you."

Tsukune scratched the back of his head, feeling not worthy of the praise he was receiving. "Ah, I think _I'm_ the one that's going to be really happy."

Tsurara sighed pleasantly, liking the way her daughter reacted to her boyfriend's simply words. _'I wish my husband was like that with me again…'_

Tsukune paused for a moment when the temperature around them seemed to get chilly. "Is something wrong?" Tsukune asked. Tsurara shook her head.

"My, you're also considerate aren't you?" She smiled at him, earning a slight blush from the boy, "Nothing is wrong. In fact, I'm about to go look around the festival. Why don't we have dinner tonight, all three of us?"

Tsukune looked at his girlfriend, who nodded. He turned to Tsurara and agreed.

"Then I'll be off." She said before she disappeared into the ocean of people.

Mizore hugged her boyfriend as she snuggled against his arm. "I think that went really well."

"I think so too." Tsukune replied, enjoying the warm feelings in his chest. "Why don't we go enjoy the festival ourselves?"

Mizore thought the idea great and before long, they too disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

"I'm not going to lie Ichigo." Moka started as she saw Ichigo wind up trying to catch the fish with his hands, "You're not very good at this."

A tic mark formed on his head as he desperately tried to catch the slippery fish. "It's not my fault! They're not standing still."

Moka sweatdropped as she shook her head. Maybe she should've continued with the small talk instead of challenging him to see who could catch the most. "They're fish…"

"I know!" Ichigo growled when one of the fish slapped its tail on the surface, splashing water all over him. "Grr…"

Moka giggled at Ichigo's antics. Oh how she envied Kurumu! Not only was he kind, handsome, and caring, but he could be quite silly as well. She couldn't believe that Kurumu had managed to get a hold of him first.

"I swear I'm about to go Bankai on this fish." Ichigo muttered darkly before he felt Moka scoot over close to him.

"Here, this is how you do it." Moka said as she reached out with a gentle hand, wrapping her delicate fingers around his. Ichigo felt like pulling away but couldn't help but notice how focused she was. She guided his hand slowly, so as not to scare the fish. One of the fish tried swimming away, but sensing no immediate danger, decided to stay put. It ended up with the fish being caught inside the net and being scooped up.

"There, you see? The trick is to try and be gentle so that the fish don't get scared." She said, sounding like a teacher at that moment. A good teacher though, not like that Nekonome-sensei, Ichigo thought.

"Yea, got it now." He said as Moka handed him the net. As soon as Moka let go, the fish began flopping and fell back into the water.

"…Seriously?" Ichigo stared exasperatedly at the fish. He didn't know if it was because he was stressed, but he could've sworn that the fish had winked at him…

"Seems like you're having fun." She said in a happy demeanor as Ichigo palmed his forehead.

"Yea, _tons_." He drawled sarcastically, but in the end had to admit that the challenge had been kind of interesting.

Moka looked at Ichigo's face and decided it was time to put her plan into action. She was a bit nervous since she wasn't nearly as bold as Kurumu, or even as bold as Mizore. She hesitated a bit, but if that's what it would take for Ichigo to look at her as a woman, then so be it.

"It's getting kind of hot in here isn't it Ichigo?" She pulled on her Yukata to emphasize, deliberately showing enough of the lingerie beneath to get any man's blood pumping.

Sadly, Ichigo hadn't been looking at the moment. Instead he had been having a staring contest with the fish for quite some time. The fish blinked and he grinned victoriously before Moka's words arrived late into his mind. "Huh? Yea, it is getting a bit stuffy." He admitted as he did a one-eighty degree turn and headed for the curtains, just barely missing Moka's teasing. Said person puffed her cheeks in annoyance, but didn't feel like she could do it again. That had been _so_ embarrassing! She didn't know how the other girls could do it.

"So this is where you were!" Moka turned around and saw Kurumu peeking below the curtain just as Ichigo was about to open them. She smiled at him, and he returned it with a small smile of his own, one that fluttered the heart of both girls there. It was so rare to see him not scowling… they took every chance they could get to savor his other expressions.

"Hey Kurumu." He greeted her before she finally entered the tent. Ichigo blinked as he saw his girlfriend in a rather modest Kimono. It was a deep blue with a lighter shade on the rims. There were star-shaped patterns that dotted the fabric. He had to admit, she looked appealing in an entirely new way. Knowing how bold Kurumu was, he really hadn't expected her to wear something like this. To his shame, he had expected her to wear some sort of maid costume, and a revealing one at that.

"I take it you like it?" She grinned when Ichigo averted his eyes.

"Y-Yea. You look… beautiful." Both girls gasped at Ichigo's words while Kurumu felt like she could die happy. She gave a choppy laugh, her mind having gone on the fritz at having such a compliment thrown at her. Sure she used to get them all the time, and still did, by complete strangers; but it was completely different when the words were said heartfelt by the person you loved. It was something one cherished in their memories as long as they could.

"Umm… hello?" Ichigo snapped his fingers in front of Kurumu's face. With the moment having passed, he was getting kind of worried that her brain had shut down or something. He was relieved when she blinked and she seemed to be aware of her surroundings.

"S-Sorry about that. I guess your compliment really surprised me." She admitted as she looked into his deep, brown eyes.

"It's the truth though." He simply said. Kurumu's reaction was for her knees to nearly give out. He had said it so easily… it was almost too much for her to handle!

"Since when did you become such a Casanova?" She playfully swatted his chest, leaving her hand there to linger for a moment as she felt the firm muscle beneath. She took in a shaky breath… damn, he had just complimented her only _twice_ and already she was being turned on!

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a neutral look on his face with a blush betraying what he truly felt inside. "I guess… only for you?" He surmised that was the reason.

"Ichigo…" Ichigo looked down and nearly felt his heart stop at the incredible sight before him. Kurumu stared at him, her violet eyes shining lovingly as she held a wondrous smile on her lips that made Ichigo's body suddenly warm up. He took note of her fingers that pressed delicately against his chest, gently gliding upwards. Ichigo gulped when the hand reached his chin and stayed there, a wave rolling through his body as Kurumu leaned upwards on her toes. Ichigo felt his mind let go of any shyness he could've possibly had at the moment and leaned downwards, bringing his lips down for a romantic kiss with the girl he cared for.

'_Wow… that's actually pretty hot.'_ Moka thought as she took a few grains of popcorn from her bag and put them in her mouth. She chewed thoroughly as her eyes ran over the couple, noting how focused they were on their kiss. She bet that they'd even forgotten she was there. She sighed, a sudden longing feeling nestling itself in her chest. Had she made a move first, it would've been her sharing that blissful kiss with Ichigo and not Kurumu.

Then she blushed when Kurumu began, with her other hand, moving it underneath Ichigo's shirt. "U-Uh, guys… I'm still here!" She frantically waved when Ichigo began reciprocating the move by moving his hand over her derrière.

The couple pulled out of their intense moment to realize what they had just been doing. Both had the decency to blush as Kurumu fixed her Yukata while Ichigo tucked in his shirt. When had _that_ happened anyway? Though he could feel Kurumu's womanly touch still lingering on his abs, he did not remember how it got to be that way. Nevertheless, that embarrassed grin he sported clearly said he had enjoyed it, regardless of his state of memory.

"S-Sorry." They both apologized, bowing their heads slightly. Though from the way they conveyed words by a meeting of eyes, they were probably not as apologetic as they wished to be.

"Oh! We should get going now. We have to meet mom before heading out to dinner tonight." Kurumu remembered as she informed Ichigo, who nodded. The three said their goodbyes before Kurumu and Ichigo left Moka alone. The Vampire stared at her feet, feeling a bit alone at the moment.

Well… she wouldn't be alone for too long she supposed. Her dad _was_ coming. Sadly, he hadn't specified on which day he would be arriving.

She would have to wait, it seemed. In the meantime, she wondered if Yukari's family wouldn't mind her presence

* * *

"I'm so excited!" Kurumu said cheerfully as she led her boyfriend through the crowd, "You're going to meet my mom, it's almost like a dream come true!"

Ichigo grinned at his girlfriend's cheeriness as he brought her a bit closer via a hand on her waist. "I'm glad you're happy. It makes me happy too." His words silenced his girlfriend as she clutched the fabric of her Yukata.

"Geez… quit saying those words. I'm going to melt into a puddle if you keep doing that!" She whined playfully as Ichigo chuckled.

"You're in awfully good mood too though, why is that?" Kurumu asked her boyfriend whose face scrunched up in thought. Finally he shrugged after not having come to a solid conclusion.

"Dunno." He replied as Kurumu rested her head on his shoulder.

"After being so suave a few minutes ago, you could've at least said, 'I'm happy because you're in my world' or something like that!" She huffed before she found her head tilted by a calloused finger.

"I'm happy because you're in my world." He spoke in a low tone that he had picked up as of late. He saw how Kurumu seemed to melt into his arms as her hands hung limply at her side. Then, he grinned. "There, how was that?"

He pulled away and a moment later, Kurumu realized that she had been tricked. "H-Hey! That's so not fair! I'm about to explode from your sexiness and you just leave me standing here!" She stomped her foot on the ground, earning another chuckle from Ichigo.

"Sorry. The look on your face was priceless!" Ichigo grinned as Kurumu huffed in protest. Then, whole of Kurumu's words finally registered in his mind.

"Wait a minute… you think I'm sexy?" Ichigo reiterated and Kurumu felt her face blush.

She crossed her arms as she turned away, not letting Ichigo get the pleasure from seeing her red face. "Well yea. I mean, you have all the good inside qualities like caring for people, being nice, brave, and considerate. That makes you sexy in my book. It's just a bonus that you happen to be handsome as well." She stopped her rant when she felt the blush begin to die down. She let out a relieved sigh before a pair of large hands placed themselves on her shoulder.

Kurumu let out a brief moan when Ichigo kissed the back of her neck before covering up her mouth, feeling abashed. "T-That's so not fair!" Kurumu pointed accusingly at Ichigo, who had a smug look on his face.

"Now you know how it feels." Ichigo retorted, a victory in his scoreboard for once. Kurumu was about to say something else, but realized that she had lost this battle.

"Fine, you win." She said, "Now let's get going. I don't want to let mom think we ditched her."

"Sounds good." Ichigo replied as he walked up to his girlfriend and took her hand. He squeezed it gently, earning a smile from her.

"I have a feeling that tonight's going to be a good night." Kurumu said as they began walking again.

"Me too."

* * *

Somehow, Ichigo found himself in a head-lock. Not only that, but his face was pressing against a magnificent round breast that was even softer than Kurumu's!

'_I don't think this is going to be such a good night after all…'_ Ichigo thought with dismay as Kurumu yelled at her mom to let go.

After their initial greeting earlier, Ichigo had felt a sudden tension in the air. She had been eying him, and it made him uncomfortable. Not only that, but he got the distinct feeling that she was undressing him with her eyes…

And now he found himself in this position that was awkward and no amount of pheromones could tell him otherwise!

"My daughter… you've noticed that she's actually quite innocent right?" She whispered to him despite his position. The only thought in his head was how wrong this lady was. Kurumu was _far_ from innocent, at least in his opinion anyways. "I'm guessing that she still doesn't have any experience… that's not good."

The next words he heard nearly stopped Ichigo's heart as a small trickle of blood escaped his nose. "I'm giving you the permission to take her forcefully."

"Geh!" Ichigo staggered backwards, finally managing to escape this woman's grasp. He held his head which was reeling with ridiculous thoughts. However, his hand was taken away and instead put on one of the woman's magnificently round and soft breasts as Ichigo's mind short-circuited.

"How about having dinner together?" She spoke with a sensual tone that nearly made Ichigo pass out, his body not being able to handle this woman's powerful attacks, "The way of love between a man and a woman… I'll use my body to teach you~!"

Ichigo passed out…

"Mother! Look what you did!" Kurumu said as she carefully kneeled and rested his head on her lap.

Ageha tapped her chin in thought. "He's more innocent than you are!" She looked at her daughter who stared back, "You weren't kidding were you?"

"Geez mom! That's why I specifically said not to do things like that! What if you had killed him?" She chastised her, only earning a playful grin from her mom.

"Oh relax!" She dismissed her daughter's worries as if they were nothing, "It's no wonder you haven't had sex with him yet."

Kurumu looked at her mother questionably and Ageha decided to answer the unasked question. "You see, Ichigo would be a puppy if he were an animal. A vicious puppy if his fighting skills are anything what you told me, but a puppy nonetheless."

"Puppy?" Kurumu was thoroughly confused at this point, but luckily her mom decided to explain even further.

"Yes. You see, brazen actions won't work out. He's timid and bashful, which I'm sure you've figured out by now." Kurumu nodded, "To get this kind of man into his bed, you have to stimulate his heart and then his senses."

Kurumu's mouth formed an 'o' as she understood what her mom was getting at. "Tell me, when has he acted positively towards your advances?"

Kurumu thought about it as she stared at the unconscious boy. "Well… he's acted positive when we're alone and intimate. And… the only time he's acted positive in public is when I wear light perfume, I think the lavender and vanilla one."

Ageha nodded, appreciative of her daughter's taste. "Yes, I used that combination too. It only works well for Ichigo's kind. On other guys, not so much since they're not as emotionally sensitive."

Kurumu stared in awe at her mother's wisdom. Truly she was a woman of experience!

"Well, I'll leave you two alone to enjoy the festival. I'll meet you for dinner later though right?" Kurumu nodded before Ageha left. This left the girl with her boyfriend all to herself. She smiled.

Kurumu didn't really mind it if Ichigo didn't wake up. After all, it was rare to see his face so peaceful. He almost looked like a kid in that position. He didn't have the rough lines that creased his forehead or that scowl on his face. He didn't look as if he was burdened by his past. Then again, he really hadn't been scowling that much recently. He hoped that she was the main cause of this. She stroked his hair, taking in his features as she sighed wistfully…

That is… until a crowd started forming. It came to her mind that Ichigo had collapsed in the middle of a busy festival and people were continuously walking. Some people even started to take pictures while Kurumu did her best to shoo them away. This was supposed to be a private moment after all! But when no one heeded her words or actions, she began to hope that Ichigo would wake up soon…

It seemed her wishes were heard as Ichigo made a groggy noise before he started to stir. Ichigo opened his eyes to his girlfriend's face. After that, he heard a bunch of murmuring and… were those cameras he heard?

"I think we better get out of here Ichigo." Kurumu whispered to him as Ichigo raised his head.

He then noticed the crowd as they stared, interested in the tender scene that had been a few moments ago. Quickly he got up as people began clapping… again…

"Let's get out of here." He said, picking up his girlfriend by the hand. "This way." He led them away from the still applauding crowd.

* * *

Even as the day turned to night, the festival still retained its vitality. The pulse of the crowd could be felt as announcements were made to winners as they picked their prizes. Loud and soft chatter murmured throughout, filling the air with pleasant noise. Laughter and joy echoed as parents ate dinner with their children, occasionally meeting the nervous boyfriend or girlfriend along the way.

Ichigo was one of said nervous boyfriends as he picked at his food, trying hard not to stare at the massive cleavage of Kurumu's mother, even though he felt like she was doing it on purpose. After all, no matter where he turned to, he somehow found himself staring at that voluptuous body. What made it worse is that Kurumu didn't try _exceptionally_ hard to thwart her mother's 'charisma.' It was almost as if she were taking this as a learning experience… weird…

"So, what kind of being are you? My daughter was vague in her description. She only said that you were extremely powerful." She adjusted her dress when she felt like her breasts were about to fall out. Maybe she should've worn a bra after all.

Ichigo had to fight back the blush that was trying to reach the surface. He was successful, but just barely. "I uh… well… I'm…" He didn't know what to tell her. He didn't want to let out his identity as a Shinigami, but at the same time he didn't want to lie. He was a very blunt person so lying eluded him since he didn't have much practice at it. So, he went with the next best thing.

"I'm a Vizard." He told her as Kurumu's eyes widened. She mouthed the words 'nice save!' to him as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Vizard? I've never heard of such a monster." Ageha leaned in, her breasts pressing against the table from their massiveness. Ichigo was really trying hard not to pass out again, but she was making it really hard! Especially when she was already wearing so little. If it wasn't for that jacket she was wearing, she'd practically be naked!

"Well… there's not many of us. There are only nine including me." He explained and Ageha suddenly seemed sympathetic.

"Oh you poor thing! There are so few of you!" She cooed as Ichigo looked away, "It's a good thing you're dating my daughter! Us Succubi are the height of passion and love when we find our Destined One! I'm sure she'd be able to boost your population to at least one hundred!"

"Mother!" Kurumu yelled exasperatedly, a beet red blush on his face. Ichigo simply looked flatly at the mom. For some reason, it made him feel like he was talking to his dad, only female version. That thought alone was enough to flush away any embarrassment he was having from dealing with the curvy woman.

"What?" It's the truth!" She said innocently… then not so innocently, "Don't you want to ravish him all night with your body and let him make you a woman?"

Kurumu's embarrassment, for once, exceeded Ichigo's as she ducked her head. "Y-Yes… but that's not the point! You're saying all these things, yet I'm your only daughter!"

Ageha thought about that remark for a moment before deciding to respond. "Well, your dad is very different from most men. He can last a long time in bed… but he literally takes a year to recover."

Kurumu covered her ears. "I didn't need to know that…"

"Your fault." Ageha smiled before her face turned thoughtful once more, "Actually that year should be up in a couple of days."

With a serious, yet light expression, Ageha asked her daughter, "Would you like a sibling?"

Kurumu sweatdropped. "I'm alright. It's kind of too late for that anyways."

"I suppose." Ageha said with a sigh, "Just a few more days…"

Ageha seemed to have a faraway as her eyes twinkled a little. Though she was a Succubus herself and understood what her mother was thinking about, it still creeped her out just a bit. Though… if she pictured herself doing it with Ichigo…

Ichigo blinked when suddenly both girls seemed to have left this planet for a much better one, it seemed. He wondered what they could be thinking about, but from the giggles they were eliciting he figured he'd rather not. Whatever, he ended up finishing his meal and opted to leave the girls in their own little dream world. After ten minutes and a full stomach, Ichigo saw the girls finally realize the state they were in.

"Wow… guess we must've dozed off huh?" Ageha said aloud before turning to Ichigo, "I'm surprised you didn't take advantage of us while we were away."

This caused Ichigo to choke on his water. He hit his chest as hard as he could to get it back into the right pipes. Ageha smiled wistfully as she said, "Such a lively young man, and handsome at that too. You chose well Kurumu. You chose well!"

Kurumu nodded happily. "Yup! He's all mine! Plus he's sweet, caring, protective, gentle, and even a bit daring when he's in the mood."

Ageha quirked an eyebrow at that while Ichigo blushed in the background, scratching his sideburn as he did so. "I thought you said you two hadn't done it yet?"

In a rare manner of bashfulness, Kurumu twiddled her fingers together. "W-Well we haven't but…"

"But…?"

"But things have gotten heavy and well…" She couldn't finish, which struck Ichigo as odd despite his own embarrassment at his girlfriend recounting their tales to her mother.

"Excuse me a moment Ichigo dear, me and Kurumu need to have a little talk." Before any protests could be made, Ageha hauled Kurumu out of her chair and dragged her someplace else.

A rare chill of fright crept down his spine as he muttered, "Damn, what the hell am I in for?"


	37. Cousin

**Well! I'm back! Nothing to say other than that. There was no winner for the contest because only like four people entered… and then they all had the same idea involving Isshin and Urahara. As I've said to you, I'd really like to go with the idea, but somehow I don't think it'd fit. Plus I have a battle in mind.**

**Other than that, I hope you enjoy this chapter! It may seem a little dull, but things will warm up soon, trust me! If you spot any errors, forgive me, my editing skills aren't up to par yet. I'll get better soon!**

**X X X X**

"_Whisper whisper whisper."_

Kurumu nodded, listening raptly to what her mother was telling her.

"After that you that, you _whisper whisper whisper."_ Kurumu's eyes widened as a blush painted her cheeks. _"Whisper whisper whisper."_ Now her eyebrows arched in confusion.

"No way, that's not possible." She replied, only earning a shake of the head.

"It is possible. I know because I've done it with your father." This earned a glare from Kurumu that said 'too-much-information'. Still, it just didn't seem possible. So after Ichigo was in that position, she would have to put her leg around him. Hmm… not too hard. But then after that would be tricky. Deciding to act it out, she bent backwards slightly as her right arm reached out behind her….

"Ow!" Kurumu yelped when she landed on her butt. "I still don't believe that's possible." She said as she got up and rubbed her sore rear.

"Tsk. You have to be flexible in order to do it." The she noticed what her daughter was wearing underneath her Yukata since it had parted slightly. "Nice choice of lingerie by the way, but I think it might be just a bit too strong for a person like Ichigo."

Kurumu looked at her exposed chest, revealing a lacy, daring black bra underneath. Then she remembered the times she had snuck into his room with the very same lingerie. "Yea… I guess you're right. What should I do then?"

Ageha tapped her chin thoughtfully. Ichigo was pretty rare actually. Not many guys boasted power and didn't flaunt it. On top of that, he was shy… until he got turned on. It's possible he was embarrassed because he thought sex was dirty? That wouldn't be the case though if he was actually as passionate as Kurumu had told her he was.

A thought occurred to her as she smiled. "I've got it! Why don't you enter the bath when he's taking one?" Ageha told Kurumu who had already picked herself up.

"In the shower? What's the difference?" Kurumu asked, not really understanding what her mother was trying to say.

"There isn't any really. But I get the feeling he'd be more at ease." Ageha made a contemplative noise before saying, "Besides, he looks really chiseled beneath those clothes."

"Mom! He's mine remember?" Kurumu whined when she noticed the look in her eyes.

"I'm just kidding darling. I'd never take away you're Destined One. That's why I have your father." Then she winked at her, "But it's still fun to tease other men since they can't have me."

Kurumu shook her head, but felt relieved. "He also seems like the sensitive type though. Even though I teased him and he passed out, if I actually tried anything he'd probably get mad." Ageha continued.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean you chose a great guy." Ageha smiled, "He would never betray you. If he ever did, he'd probably die from his own shame. He seems the type to sulk easily."

Kurumu looked at her mom before she thought about her words and then what Ichigo had told her. "Yea, he is. He's very protective of everyone important to him. He hates failing, and he does sulk when he fails."

"Oh, so you know that much about him?" Ageha arched an eyebrow, pleased at her daughter's progress even if they hadn't gone all the way physically.

"We've talked about his past." Kurumu suddenly backed away when her mother's face came close to hers.

"You have? Then why haven't you done it already? He's already emotionally connected with you!" She stared at her daughter who merely returned a nervous grin. Then, a thought occurred to her and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't tell me… it's actually _you_ who's shy?" Ageha said and Kurumu looked taken back.

"I'm not! I'm always trying to do things that will turn him on and stuff!" She retorted with a huff before her mother eyed her keenly. Kurumu eyed her back before she felt her resolve weaken.

"I… guess I am a little shy… and scared. What if he's not my Destined One?" She voiced her doubts to her mom who looked at her sympathetically. Ageha reached out to her daughter and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Kurumu darling. If you're concerned about him being your Destined One… then that most likely means he _is_ your Destined One." Then she smiled mischievously, "Plus, you'll find out for sure once you have a night of love with him right?"

Kurumu's face turned slightly red at that. But whether or not her mom was teasing her, she always told the truth. "I guess that's true." Then she nodded, reinforcing her resolve with a pump of her fist, "Yea, it _is_ true. He _is_ my Destined One and I'm going to give him all of my heart!"

Ageha applauded her daughter's courage before a thought occurred to her. "Oh, one more thing."

Kurumu turned to her mom who picked something from her cleavage. She pulled out two bottles and showed them to Kurumu who nearly passed out. "What kind of lubricant do you want? The scented one so he can give you great tongue, or the warming one that'll keep you both going throughout the night?"

"MOM!"

X

Ichigo took a sip of his water, taking in the world around him. Now that he wasn't being sexually harassed by Kurumu's mom and there was no immediate danger, he came to realize that humans and monsters weren't that different other than appearance. Yes, Ichigo was being deeply philosophical and he patted himself on the back for it. In all seriousness though, the way the monsters adapted he wouldn't be surprised if they integrated with human society. Granted, there were a few that had a _taste_ for humans so those would have a much harder time to say the least.

He tilted his chair back stretching slightly as he turned his head to the left. In one of the far off tables, he saw Mizore and Tsukune eating dinner with Mizore's mother. The lady seemed rather pleasant and wasn't harassing Tsukune either. Ichigo frowned. He kind of wished Kurumu's mother had been that way. Otherwise he wouldn't have passed out embarrassingly in the middle of a festival. Just the thought made the blood rush to his head.

Ichigo shook his head, ridding his mind of any weird ideas. Ageha's chest had been soft, softer than Kurumu's… but he still preferred Kurumu any day of the year.

"Whatcha smiling about?" Kurumu asked upon noticed Ichigo's goofy grin.

Ichigo snapped out of it as he slinked back into his chair before straitening up. "Uh… things." He scratched the back of his head when Kurumu sent him a questioning look. He coughed before changing the subject, "So what took you guys so long?"

"Well, my daughter wouldn't decide what lubricant she wanted and—hmph!" A hand silenced the mouth that was about the spill Kurumu's secret. Kurumu looked over sheepishly at Ichigo as a shy smile crossed her lips.

Ichigo looked confused, but feeling as if he shouldn't press the matter for the sake of his health, he remained silent. "Um. Alright." Then, feeling awkward, he said, "I saw Mizore and Tsukune over there while you guys were… talking."

Ageha's eyes seemed to twinkle for a bit before she spoke up, "Oh? My old rival is here also? It would make sense since her daughter goes here as well." Kurumu and Ichigo looked at the woman who seemed to have suddenly gone into a thoughtful trance. "Maybe I should go over and talk to her…"

The way she ended that sentence made both teens feel that letting her talk to her 'rival' wouldn't be a good idea.

"Alright!" She said as she hopped to her feet, a serious case of jiggling breasts soon following, "Let's go say hi!"

Kurumu and Ichigo shared an uncertain glance as they followed the older Succubus to who-knows-what.

X

"My, sounds like you've had a lively time here." Tsurara noted as Tsukune and Mizore recounted their tales to her.

"We have, and it's thanks to Ichigo now that I have the power to protect Mizore." His words truly seemed to reflect his gratitude towards the orange-head.

"Speaking of this Ichigo, when will I get to meet him?" She asked before she felt a familiar presence coming up from behind her.

Quickly she dodged to the left in a graceful manner as her claws became visible. "Ageha." She simply stated as the buxom woman smiled at her, though the smile didn't really hold any mirth. It was more predatory in nature and calculatingly polite.

"It seems the only thing that's improved are your reflexes." Her eyes trailed down towards the Snow Woman's chest. "It seems that's the _only_ thing that's improved."

The Snow Woman covered her chest protectively as she replied, "So? They don't need to be planet-sized like yours you overgrown cow." Her voice was icy, yet this did little to deter the Older Succubus.

Ageha held a hand to her chest as she corrected her, "They're not renowned for their size, which are many times yours, but for their softness. My little Ichigo can tell you firsthand just how soft they are!"

Forced to be the center of attention in this little feud, all eyes were on Ichigo as he recoiled from suddenly being put in the spot light. "Uhh…" Was all he could muster as he scratched the back of his head. He didn't want to add fuel to the fire, but if he didn't say anything… wait… why _did_ he have to say anything? He was about to retort angrily when Kurumu spoke up for him.

"Leave Ichigo out of this mom!" Kurumu pleaded, knowing where this was heading as said person let out a breath of relief. Close one!

"Ichigo?" The name piqued Tsurara's attention as she turned towards her future son-in-law. "Is this the boy you were talking about?"

"Yea." Tsukune affirmed as Tsurara's eyes were set on the boy. Even from just a glance, she could tell there was a wealth of power emanating from him. He hadn't even released his monster form yet! Then her eyes registered something else; Ageha's daughter standing protectively besides said boy.

She knew at the moment they were dating. But before she could continue on the train of thought, her attention was jarred as Ageha had tried grabbing her with her tail. Tsurara dodged back, just out of range of the tail. "Nice to have you attention. As you can see, I clearly have the better son-in-law. Not only is he strong, but he's handsome to boot. And from what my daughter's told me, he's quite the sensitive one." Ageha smiled, feeling the she had one-upped Tsurara enough. But then it was time for the Snow Woman's retort.

"True as that is, your daughter has yet to lose her innocence." She smiled when Ageha's eyes and mouth both went wide, "My little Mizore frequently pleases her man; at least three times a week."

All eyes went to Mizore who suddenly stood up, her lollipop just about to fall out of her mouth as her face was alight with a bright blush. "Mother! I never told you that!"

"Oh?" Tsurara arched an eyebrow, "So it _is_ true then?"

Noticing her mistake, Mizore hung her head in defeat as she sat back down. Thankfully Tsukune was there to comfort her… despite his own embarrassment. Yet, no one was more embarrassed at the moment than Ichigo was. All this conversation about sex and breasts was making him feel light-headed. He could feel his heart pumping, his nerves twitchy as his body continuously told him to flee. Only Kurumu's soft hand on his forearm stopped him from doing so. He'd rather face Grimmjow again. Heck, he'd almost rather face his dad! Almost, was the key word… the situation now hardly warranted him missing his dad… and he didn't think anything in the universe could.

"Y-You!" Ageha pointed an accusing finger as Tsurara smiled victoriously, holding up two fingers for the victory sign. Ageha was beyond flabbergasted as she could not come up with a witty reply this time.

"It seems I have won." Tsurara further added insult to injury, saying, "Isn't it strange that a Succubus would lose out to a Snow Woman in terms of sex?" She chuckled at the priceless look on Ageha's face.

But soon that look of surprise smoothed and evened out into a challenging grin. "That may be true, but Succubus are also known for their longevity in bed." She took a quick glance at her daughter, whose cheeks turned a slight pink, before she looked back at Tsurara. "And judging from the energy coming from her Destined One, I'd say they could last at _least_ a day in bed."

Tsurara's features scrunched up at the seemingly triumphant look on her rival. Without turning to face them, she told Mizore and Tsukune, "You two now have to last more than twenty-four hours in bed. Understand?" She demanded as Mizore quickly got to her feet once again.

"Don't you think this rivalry is too immature mother?" She asked as a blush touched her cheeks. Her mother would not move and didn't answer, so Mizore turned to Tsukune for some help.

Tsukune looked away. "Well… I don't really _mind_ if that's the case…" He admitted bashfully. Mizore's sucker simply dropped from her mouth and bounced before cracking against the table.

"There we go, now if you have no further protests, I'll ask of you to comply with my wish." Tsurara said with a twinkle in her eye. Oh how nice it was to be young again!

"You think you've won huh? Guess again, I said at least a day." The she pointed to herself as she spoke in a haughty voice, "My husband can go at it for a week straight!"

Then her eyes seemed unfocused as she shivered slightly. "Oh man… what a week that always is…" She said, more to herself than anything else.

"Bad mental image!" Kurumu looked like she was in torture as she shook her head, a grimace on her face as she did so.

"I agree." Tsurara concurred. "This seems to be putting too much of a mental strain on our children. Why don't we continue this some other time?"

Ageha didn't want to let the fight just go yet, but judging from the unmoving form of Ichigo, he was probably in catatonic shock by now. "Alright fine." Then she said with a point at the edge of her words, "but this isn't over yet!"

"Indeed." All the teens let out a collective sigh that for once, left the parents feeling slightly embarrassed… that is, only _slightly_.

Then they all sat down and shared pleasant talk, though it did time from time revert back to the usual bantering between rivals. Overall though it was a nice atmosphere and for once, Ageha and Tsurara didn't really feel the need to argue.

"I still say I have the better son-in-law."

Or maybe not…

X

"I'm sooo sorry about that Ichigo! I had no idea that would happen." Kurumu thought over her words a bit before she responded more truthfully, "Well… maybe just a little bit, but not to that extreme."

Ichigo gave her a half-frown as his body felt all warm and uncomfortable. It felt like he'd be in a sauna all day long, even though he'd never been to a sauna in his life. Still, he could imagine. "It's alright." He said a bit dismissively, already trying to get the words and certain images out of his head.

She looked at him and tried to get rid of his doubts. "You don't need to be afraid though. She can be nice when she wants to." At the same time, she defended her mom. Sure she was a bit quirky, but she was a nice woman overall… if a bit _too_ nice.

"I know." Ichigo replied as he turned to her, "You're a nice person too, so I sort of figured she'd be nice as well. I'm sure she meant well." He faced forward once more before he realized that Kurumu was no longer next to him.

He turned himself around to see a faintly blushing Kurumu, who had a small smile on her lips. Before any warning could be given, Ichigo found himself in a tight hug with his girlfriend who snuggled up against his chest. "You know, you can really be a charmer when you try."

"So you've said." He replied with a sloppy grin of his own. No one was particularly paying attention to them right now since others were probably having their own intimate moment as well. That's probably the only reason he hadn't freaked out at the moment.

"Well it's true." She replied as she looked at him, gentle violet eyes peering up at him.

But now that Ichigo thought about it, maybe it wasn't so much that no one was paying attention. As he stared into those violet irises, he maybe thought that he was getting used to her being next to him. For some reason, he couldn't picture her _not_ being there when he turned his head. Could it be… that he was…

Kurumu tilted her head when she caught a fleeting glimpse of something in his eyes. She wasn't sure what to make of it since it hadn't even been there for a second. It looked like he'd been surprised by something… she could only wonder what was going on in that orange head of his.

"Something the matter?" She asked when she felt him focus on her, out of his daydream.

"E-Eh?" Ichigo looked up and away from her as he replied, "N-Nothing really. Just thinking."

Kurumu quirked an eyebrow at his suspicious behavior. "Don't tell me you were thinking dirty thoughts?" She grinned when Ichigo looked at her with a serious look, yet, she couldn't take it seriously because his face was red. Even if it was getting darker, she could still see the red reach all the way up to his ears. He was probably remembering what happened earlier and getting all strung up about it, she assumed.

"Relax Ichigo." She said as she kissed his chin, which seemed to abate his seriousness, "I was just kidding, k?"

"Jeez." Ichigo shook his head. "If you keep doing stuff like that, I might actually fall in-in-in…erm." He coughed as he looked away, hoping to find some sort of distraction. Then he realized it was almost night time and seized the opportunity.

"It's getting d-dark so I'll see you tomorrow alright?" He didn't give her a chance to reply as before Kurumu even knew it, Ichigo had Shunpo'd away.

Kurumu couldn't simply believe what she had just heard. Had he… just been ready to tell her that he loved her? She slapped both her cheeks with her hands, trying to make sure this hadn't been a dream. When she didn't wake up, and it was still night time, and she was still in her Yukata, she realized this was indeed the world she knew. So what had happened had really… happened. Ichigo had a slip of the tongue and revealed his feelings for her. Ichigo loved her? How she longed for him to say that! Well… he hadn't actually _said_ it, but still, he had said it! Wait, if he had meant what he'd been meaning to say, then that meant Ichigo loved her. Not liked her, but _loved_ her. Loved her! _Loved_ her! LOVED her! Lo…

Before the final word could be completed, Kurumu fell backwards as she fainted, a deliriously happy look on her face.

X

"**Bout time that hardass admitted what he was feeling." **The Hollow ginned as he felt his king's current state of mind. Then he frowned slightly, **"He better get laid now, and hopefully he'll get done by that Vampire chick too."**

He remembered the fight she'd given him and he also remembered that intoxicated look on her face from receiving his power. For him, that was probably the biggest turn-on during their brief encounter. **"Man what I wouldn't give to be with that woman!"**

The Hollow turned around when he hadn't received a reply from the other person that resided in this world. Zangetsu was staring away from him, and the Hollow tried peeking over his shoulder to get a good look at him. He arched an eyebrow when he heard something that resembled a sob coming from the sword.

"**Are you **_**crying?**_**" **Ichigo's other side arched an incredulous eyebrow when Zangetsu still wouldn't face him.

Said person simply gave a short, terse, **"****No.****" **Before bringing a tissue to blow his nose.

The Hollow didn't know whether to be sick or make fun of Zangetsu for his sudden sensitivity.

He chose to be sick.

X

_(Day 2)_

Tsukune stretched his arms as he let out a particularly ferocious yawn. He lazily brought a hand to rub his left eye as he thought about getting out of bed. What few people knew was that he wasn't actually a morning person. He hated mornings, but since Mizore had slept over a few times and she _was _a morning person; then he too became one. That still didn't mean he liked mornings.

It was a shame she couldn't sleep over tonight… though… would they really have gotten any sleep? He grinned meekly at his thoughts. It was a good thing they stayed in their own dorms though. They still had work to do, even during the festival and not getting any sleep—regardless of the reason, be it good or bad—would probably get him into trouble. So as he stifled another yawn that tried to escape his lips, he began to wonder why he had a dream about his cousin the other night.

Speaking of which, what had she been up to? For all his life, she had been like an older sister… a bit of an overprotective sister, but one nonetheless. He got the strange feeling he'd be seeing her soon. He merely shook his head at the notion. How could she possibly get in? It's not like she knew where this place was or how to get in.

He needed to get ready though. So he put the idea in the back of his mind as he got out of bed and prepared for the day ahead. Just as he was about to leave the door, the thought forced its way into his mind. It sat there uncomfortably, glaring at him as if seeking attention. Still he paid no heed, but he began to wonder if there was trouble ahead.

X

"Is something the matter Tsukune?"

Tsukune turned his head to see his girlfriend staring openly at him as they walked towards the festival grounds. "Nothing really. I just had a dream about my cousin and now all these weird thoughts are in my head."

He failed to notice the slight look of jealousy the crossed Mizore's face. It wasn't entirely his fault he didn't notice since she was still very much a stoic person. She was only expressive when they were alone or intimate, granted, she'd become more varied in her emotions now that they'd started dating.

"Is your cousin a girl?" She asked while gauging his reaction.

Tsukune nodded, thinking nothing of the question. "Yea."

Mizore twirled her lollipop in her mouth as she eyed him carefully. "Is she pretty?"

That's when Tsukune finally understood where this was going. He looked at her as a grin formed ever so slowly while Mizore looked away slightly. "Don't tell me… you're jealous?"

"I'm not." The blush on her face clearly told otherwise, but even so, Tsukune didn't call her on it. "I was just wondering."

Tsukune opted to kiss her cheek, further deepening the blush that stained his girlfriend's cheeks. "Don't worry Mizore-chan, you know you're the girl for me right?"

Mizore, for her part, looked immensely relieved after he had said those words even though she already knew how important she was to him. "I know… it's just…"

She didn't finish, but Tsukune nodded in understanding. "It's alright, I'd prolly be the same if you mentioned some other guy or something." He blinked. "You don't have another guy right?"

She looked at him with a sparkle in her eye, and for a brief second thought of messing with his head to get revenge. But seeing those puppy dog eyes of his melted away her resolve. "No, you're the only one."

"Heh, glad to hear that." He smiled at her, which she returned. "But about my cousin… she's more like family than anything else actually."

Mizore looked up curiously at him, wondering why he'd never mentioned her before. "Of course… she would always be stubborn and overprotective. I remember one time she made me eat her 'sand cooking' when we were younger…" Tsukune grimaced at the memory and now Mizore could understand why he'd never mentioned her.

"Still. She was always around like a big sister so I'm grateful for her in a way." He paused in mid-thought, "I wonder what she's doing? I get this strange feeling that I'm going to see her soon even though that's clearly impossible."

Mizore eyed her boyfriend. "What?" Tsukune asked upon receiving the look.

"Well… _you're_ here even though… you know." Mizore left the words hanging, but Tsukune knew what she'd meant.

"I guess that's true." He scratched his head. "Still… what are the chances?"

Mizore shrugged. "You never know."

"True." They walked in comfortable silence for a bit before Mizore broke the silence.

"What's she like?" Mizore asked, this time out of curiosity.

"Well… she was always looking out for me." He mused as he remembered something, "We practically did everything together. As I said before, we were like family and since she lived nearby, we grew up together like siblings. Whenever my parents weren't around, she took it upon herself to take care of me even though she was a natural dummy."

"Any specific memories?" She asked, curious as to how close these two were. As siblings of course!

Tsukune "Hmm'd" as he thought. "I remember one time I peed my shorts because I couldn't hold it in." Tsukune gave a short chuckle as he recounted the next part, "Then she grabbed a bucket full of water and poured it all over me, saying that no one would notice now."

Mizore giggled at the story, but found it incredibly endearing. Imagining a chibi-Tsukune was always entertaining for her. But his cousin sounded kind of nice, especially since she took care of him. She actually felt like meeting this person. "What does she look like?"

"She's kind of a tomboy in the way she dresses." Tsukune glanced around to see if anyone even remotely looked like her. He saw a girl carrying a package and pointed towards her. "Actually, she looks a lot like that girl over there. That girl looks exactly like Kyou-chan."

The girl turned her face, almost as if she knew she was being talked about. "Yea, she had the same exact hairclip and… all…" Tsukune blinked and Mizore wondered why he had paused.

"**KYOU-CHAN?" **He yelled suddenly, startling Mizore whose eyes went wide. This was Tsukune's cousin?

The girl seemed a bit slower in realization before her eyes widened. "Tsukki?"

Tsukune's mouth was open in surprise as he couldn't even fathom how she was here. Here they were, discussing his foreboding feeling when the object of said feeling suddenly appeared. And now, as he continued standing with a stupefied expression, the girl ran over towards him and gave him an all-encompassing hug.

Mizore let the lollipop fall out of her mouth at the sudden action, but she had to calm the growing jealousy within her. This girl was _family_ and not anything to worry about… right? Sure she was cute… but not as cute as her… or at least… that's what Tsukune's said…

Mizore shook her head, she had to get these thoughts out! Tsukune wouldn't be with her if he didn't like her. And so, with a deep breath, she calmed herself down.

"It's so great that you're okay Tsukki! I was so worried about you!" She sobbed into his chest, feeling relief flood her at knowing her Tsukki was alright.

Tsukune tilted his head to try and face his girlfriend. He gave her a helpless look which she returned as they both didn't really know what to do. He sighed, he supposed he would have to talk to Kyou in private to try and clear things up.

X

He was glad Mizore understood, especially since he hadn't introduced them to one another seeing as how Kyou had been so distraught. Even so, he could tell Mizore was hiding behind the bushes a few feet away. He sweatdropped at that, but in a way, he was kind of glad since that was just another way of showing she cared for him.

"I was looking for you all this time," Tsukune heard his cousin say as she wiped away her tears, "I wanted to call you… but you didn't have a mobile phone." She continued rambling, wiping away fresh tears every now and then. "And you didn't call me either… that's so mean! You always followed me around!" She recalled to him, despite Tsukune not remembering it quite that way.

"Did… did I?" He wondered about that as a slight look of disbelief claimed his expression.

"Yes, you couldn't do anything without me!" She exclaimed at him through teary eyes.

"No… I actually could do m—" But he was cut off.

"We even bathed together!" This interruption was particularly deadly as he felt Mizore's sudden chilly presence wash over him.

Growing panicked, he finally caved in to his cousin. "I'm sorry! It's all my fault, please don't talk about when we were kids!"

Meanwhile it the bushes somewhere in the back, Mizore could only think one thing. _'There's a side of Tsukune I didn't even know… I must find out more!'_

'_Oh boy…'_ Tsukune thought helplessly. He was going to have to tell Mizore that they bathed when they were _kids_ and not recently.

"And… it's so suspicious."

He caught his cousin's words and looked at her curiously before a feeling of dread began to fill him. He always got this feeling when this girl was about to do something over the top. As it were, he waited for the anvil to fall.

"This academy… can't be seen on maps. I looked for it according to the address, but I only found an empty plot that made me shudder." And as if to emphasize, she shuddered.

Tsukune hung his head as one thought went through his mind, _"Then how the heck did you get here?"_

Kyou ignored her cousin's long face as she continued to tell him about the hardships she went through to get here. "I had no choice but to find that building. So I did an investigation! Then a woman came up to me and said…_You want to go to Youkai Academy?_"

Then Kyou told Tsukune how the conversation went. She told him that the woman had told her that Youkai Academy would be having its festival and that she could use that opportunity to sneak in. She had been suspicious, because after all, what kind of school required 'sneaking in'? Still, since that was the only way she could get to Tsukune, she took the woman's offer of delivering a package in exchange to be let in.

Finally, Kyou held out the package, as if telling him that her suspicions were the package itself. "See? Isn't it really suspicious? That's why I was so worried about you!"

He was about to ask what was in the package when the seriousness of the situation finally clicked in. She, a human, was in a school of monsters that would sooner kill her than anything else. How was he going to _deal_ with this! He just hoped she didn't want to walk around and inspect everything and that she was satisfied with just seeing him…

"So I want to walk around today and thoroughly check what's wrong with this Academy!" Tsukune suddenly felt heavy as the metaphorical anvil finally dropped.

"If I find anything suspicious, I'll take responsibility and bring Tsukki home!" Kyou said with the utmost determination that left Tsukune feeling he had eaten something rotten.

Mizore also shared the same emotions as her boyfriend. She got the feeling that it would be a combined effort in order to not reveal the true nature of this Academy to the currently unaware girl.

X

"Hmm…" Kyou observed the hallways filled with people and lively entertainment. There were booths, stands, and anything else that could describe this place as festive. "It's livelier than I expected."

Tsukune, feeling like he was standing on shredded glass, felt slightly relieved by those words. "Yea… can you stop worrying now then?" He hoped the answer was 'yes.'

"It's too lively!" She retorted, crushing Tsukune's hope, "How suspicious…"

Tsukune couldn't help but feel that his cousin hadn't changed at all. Even now she was turning her head every which way, trying to find anything out of the ordinary. The only reassurance he had as Mizore, whose presence he could feel following them. He looked over at his girlfriend and waved at her only to see her pointing frantically in the opposite direction. He 'eeped!' when he saw Kyou going into a particularly shady booth and quickly pulled her out.

Kyou, however, was undeterred and proceeded with her investigation. Alone, it would've been difficult to keep Kyou from entering every single booth, but thankfully Mizore was using her snow powers to create thin, nearly invisible sheets of ice where Kyou would "accidentally" slip on and deter her from entering. The couple were using all they could to prevent the true nature of Youkai Academy from being exposed.

"Hm? Tsukune? Have you seen Ichigo?" Said boy turned around and noticed Ichigo's girlfriend standing in a very skimpy maid outfit. The skirt barely reached to mid-thigh and it was black with white frills along the bottom. And to top it all off, her top barely covered her well-endowed assets which made Tsukune turn away in embarrassment.

"No… I haven't." He scratched the back of his head before a chuckle nearly escaped his lips when he heard Mizore sigh. He could even picture her shaking her head. He was glad Mizore didn't flip out, then again, it's not like he was going to ogle Kurumu, especially since he already had Mizore and Kurumu had Ichigo.

"T-Tsukki! Who is this?" Kyou exclaimed as she pointed a shaking finger at the bluenette.

"She's just a friend Kyou-chan…" He hesitated when she gave him a glare and a suspicious look all at once.

"How can _this_," She moved her hand up and down in Kurumu's direction, "be just a friend?"

"Hey!" Kyou turned around when she noticed the maid girl talking, "I'm already taken thank you very much!"

"See? Tolda ya." Tsukune smiled at Kyou when she noticed her mistake.

"S-Sorry… but still, it's kind of suspicious that you're in that get-up!" She countered.

"What? Don't they have this in the human world?" She asked, a confused look on her face.

Now it was Kyou's turn to be confused as she mouthed the words, "Human world?"

"A-Ah!" Tsukune did not like the direction this was going and proceeded to grab Kyou by the shoulders and turn her around, "Let's check out something else! There's goldfish scooping here, and I'm sure it'd be fun!"

Tsukune didn't even allow his cousin to protest as he pushed her along. He noticed Mizore went back to probably fill Kurumu in on the details. He sighed… this was going to be a really long day…

X

"Ara, Tsukune-kun!" Nekonome called out to her student when she saw him enter, completely ignoring the girl that came with him as she went to talk to him about more important matters.

"Since Ichigo isn't here, I want to discuss the matter about the goldfish with you." She began semi-seriously before her lips curled upward in a friendly smile, "Can you give me the extra to me? I haven't really eaten goldfish in a long time and… huh?"

Nekonome looked behind Tsukune and noticed Mizore waving frantically at her… or at least, she thought she was. Then Mizore ducked away and disappeared, leaving the poor teacher confused. Then her face brightened when she turned her attention back towards Tsukune only to find him gone. Her ears drooped as she thought she wouldn't be able to have any of those delectable goldfish after all.

X

"What was that about?" Kyou demanded as she was hauled out into the hallway once again.

"A-Ah! It was nothing, nothing to worry about!" He said in a placating manner, but he could tell she didn't buy it. Luckily she didn't press the matter and opted to continue her investigation.

As they were looking around, Tsukune spotted some orange hair stick out from the crowd. He then realized that since Ichigo was still human, regardless of his power, he would probably be able to act more normally around his cousin. "Hey Kyou-chan, I'd like you to meet another friend of mine."

"Is at another pretty girl?" She asked suspiciously while Tsukune gave her a nervous look.

"Actually no. Here, follow me." He led her through the crowd by the hand while she tried to hold on to the package with her other. Somehow, she found it kind of strange being led by the hand when she was the one always guiding him. She glanced up at her Tsukki and started noticing that something had changed about him… but what?

"Hey Ichigo!" Tsukune greeted him as he turned around.

"Yo." Ichigo replied before looking at the girl next to Tsukune.

"Ah! This is Kyou-chan, she's my cousin." Then he pointed to Ichigo and told Kyou, "This is my friend, Ichigo. He's also Kurumu-chan's boyfriend."

Kyou gave him a blank look before Tsukune remembered he hadn't told his cousin Kurumu's name. "The girl in the maid outfit." He said to clarify things.

"Oh." Kyou looked at Ichigo intently, who did not feel comfortable being scrutinized like that.

"Something wrong?" He said, probably harsher than he had intended as he saw her flinch.

"You don't happen to be part of the Yakuza or something?" She asked and Ichigo blinked, utterly bewildered.

"…No." He replied as the two seemingly had a staring contest.

"You're still suspicious." She finally said as she crossed her arms in front of her. Ichigo simply shook his head before he remembered what Tsukune had said.

"You said you saw Kurumu?" Ichigo asked Tsukune, who nodded.

"Yea, she was in her classroom. Apparently they did a maid café." Then he grinned as he said, "She's really looking forward to showing you her costume I think."

At first he didn't get what Tsukune meant, but then he remembered Kurumu talking about a maid café a bit back and how she was going to 'service' him if he allowed it. A single drop of blood dripped its way down Ichigo's nose before he quickly wiped it away.

Kyou, who had watched the whole exchange, could not believe that Tsukune had talked like that! Did that mean… he was _experienced?_

"Uh… yea… thanks for telling me." Ichigo fidgeted uncomfortably before he looked at Tsukune, who knew what was coming.

"So… I'll see you later." Ichigo turned towards Tsukune's cousin, "Nice seeing ya."

Then Ichigo left, and Tsukune knew full well where to with a knowing grin.

"Wow… since when did you become so grown up?" Tsukune looked at Kyou, who was looking at him strangely.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean… you've become… manly." She looked away, suddenly feeling very distant.

Tsukune stared before putting a hand on her shoulder. Kyou turned around and stared into the warm eyes of her cousin as he said, "I'm still the Tsukki you know though. I haven't really changed."

She frowned slightly, but admitted that though he did seem more manly, he was still indeed the same boy she knew. But…

"Yea, but you're probably not going to follow me around are you?"

Tsukune gave a sheepish grin. "Probably not." He admitted and only got a shake of the head from Kyou.

"I guess… everything is alright then. I thought this school was kind of suspicious, but I guess it isn't." Then she turned to Tsukune with a grin, "You think I have a shot at that Ichigo kid? He seems like a bad boy with that scowl and all."

Kyou became surprised when Tsukune laughed at her. She pouted, feeling indignant at being made fun of.

"Sorry… it's just, once you get to know Ichigo, he's probably one of the nicest people you'll ever meet."

"Really?" Kyou raised an eyebrow, "He doesn't seem like the type."

"He is. He's just shy I guess." Tsukune replied, and that's when he received a disbelieving look.

"You call that _shy_? I thought he was going to attack me for a second!" She retorted and Tsukune shook his head.

"He's always scowling. He even scowls in his sleep sometimes, or at least, that's what Kurumu-chan's told us."

"Oh." Kyou felt like she was missing something and then it hit her, "Wait, how would she know what he looked like in his sleep?"

And that's when Tsukune realized his mistake. "Uh…"

Then, to further add fuel to the fire, she also said, "And wait, you said something funny back there. You were implying something when you said that she wanted to see that Ichigo in her costume. What were you implying?" She eyed him carefully, not giving him any wiggle room whatsoever.

"Uhhhhh…"

A brief moment of silence, then Kyou's eyes widened to dramatic proportions and Tsukune felt like he was going to be sick. "Don't tell me… you've lost your virginity?"

Before he could reply, Mizore popped from the bushes as she said, "I heard the word virginity? What's going on?"

"Wahh!" Kyou, surprised, jumped back while Mizore made her way towards her boyfriend.

Tsukune was wary of introducing Mizore to his cousin, because she would likely connect whom he had lost his virginity too.

"W-Who are you?" Kyou demanded, not remembering Mizore from earlier.

"I'm his girlfriend." Mizore stated simply, sucker in her mouth. Well there went _that_ plan.

Tsukune noticed the look in Kyou's eyes and braced himself. "_You're_ the one Tsukki's lost his virginity too?"

Mizore merely nodded. "At least fifteen different times."

Tsukune slapped his forehead as Kyou sputtered nonsense. She continued doing so until she calmed down enough to say, "H-How can you be so calm about this?"

Mizore shrugged before Kyou shook her head and said, "No, not you, _him!_"

"Me?" Tsukune pointed to himself and Kyou nodded vigorously, "Well… she's my girlfriend, I have no reason to be ashamed of her."

Mizore nodded again, this time with a slight pink color on her cheeks to accompany her cheeks. Kyou still couldn't believe that Tsukune, of all people, had lost his virginity. The crybaby… was now a man. As surreal as it seemed, the proof was standing before her and she couldn't deny it.

"E-Eh?" Tsukune became panicked when tears started pouring out of Kyou's eyes, and he wondered what was wrong.

"Heh… looks like _I'm_ the crybaby now." She sniffed, a small smile on her lips. Tsukune had a brief moment of confusion before he understood what was going on. He smiled.

"See? There's nothing. This is just a school like any other." That feeling in the pit of his stomach was finally disappearing. Maybe everything would turn out well in the end.

"You're friends are suspicious though." She noticed the slight frown on Tsukune's face and smiled, "I'm not going to investigate them though. This _is_ a festival I guess and people act differently I suppose."

"Everyone's strange in their own way." Mizore suddenly said cryptically, earning bewildered looks from the other two.

"Er… alright." Kyou didn't know what to make of it as the strange girl gave her a ghost of a smile.

"So… I take it you'll be heading back?" Tsukune asked, a trace of hope in his voice. He didn't want to sound pushy, but the sooner she left, the better.

Kyou was about to nod when she remembered the package. She pulled the large envelope from inside her sweater and took a look at it. "Ah! I totally forgot about this thing!"

She regarded it as she moved it about, trying to feel what was inside. "Strange. That person said someone would come and take the envelope, but nobody came."

She handed it to Tsukune who took a look at it along with Mizore. It didn't seem to have anything special inside. Mizore even asked if they could sneak a peek, but got denied by Tsukune. Suddenly, there was a tremor that nearly caused everyone to lose their balance.

"Wh—an earthquake?" Kyou exclaimed as her legs wobbled, the ground buckling and twisting beneath her.

Suddenly both Mizore and Tsukune could feel a power inside the envelope. It was almost as if it were reacting to the earthquake. Everyone heard loud snaps and cracks and turned around to see trees being torn in half and branches falling off. All of Tsukune's hope seemed to fade away as he thought, _'No way. We finally settled things with Kyou-chan and now this?'_

Then, a large, looming shadow towered overhead. They could all see sharp teeth reflecting the small amount of light there was in this word, yet, the feet weren't made out of claws, but of rubber webbing. To them, it looked like a frog with teeth. Yet, somehow, even as it drew closer to them, it still remained its black, shadowy form.

"Wh-What is that thing? It can't be real!" Kyou's awe and shock filled voice snapped Tsukune out of this thoughts as he reacted quickly, running towards Kyou. "We have to run Kyou-chan." Tsukune stated simply as he grabbed her arm and hauled her away.

As they were running, Kyou turned her head and looked at the towering thing behind her. She was shocked beyond belief by what she saw as she whispered, "Is that a monster?"

Then she turned to Tsukune. His face didn't even register surprise, or at least, not to the extent of hers. It almost seemed as if he was used to these kinds of things. What made matters worse was that his girlfriend acted even _less_ surprised than he did. Feeling frustrating well up in her chest, she yelled at Tsukune, "What's going on!"

It was Mizore who replied, since Tsukune seemed to be deep in thought. "Now's not the time to be talking, we have to run." The Snow Girl replied succinctly, ending all possible conversation in one-go.

Meanwhile with Tsukune, he was having troubled thoughts. _'How could this happen? She saw a monster.'_ He chanced a glance at his cousin and frowned slightly, _'Kyou-chan is like a real sister to me. If she finds out this is an Academy for monsters, she'll definitely tell my parents.'_

His mind raced with solutions and possibilities, all of them being not too good for either of them. With his mind so busy, he failed to notice his cousin's startled reaction.

'_What? Who said that?'_ Kyou thought as she looked around. She thought she heard someone asking to be let free. The voice said it didn't want to be caught. But the voice didn't speak up again and she shook her head, thinking that it was just the adrenaline making her go crazy. Still…

"Why… since I came here weird stuff has been happening." She whispered to herself as she realized that something was definitely wrong like she first thought, "What's wrong with this Academy…"

X

"It should be safe here." Mizore stated. Currently they were in the far back of the school where the furnace was. Heaps of trash that were waiting to be burned were piled next to the burner, which was probably a fire hazard in some way.

"Are you alright Kyou-chan?" Tsukune asked to the panting girl. Though in his mind he told himself he would pretend nothing like that existed… though… it would be very hard to fool her since she had actually _seen _it. He just hoped he would be able to use Kyou's stubbornness to his advantage.

"I think I understand what's going on now." Kyou stated seriously, which caused Tsukune too gulp. Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought…

Kyou turned to Tsukune and said, "I know the true reason behind the monsters! You know it, don't you Tsukki? But why are you hiding it from me!" She huffed as she looked around, "I found it weird from the start. It's impossible for such things to happen!"

'_Oh no! For once Kyou was smart enough to figure something out!'_ Tsukune thought, frantic at being exposed to early, but there was nothing he could do to stop her. He saw as she lifted a finger into the air, almost as if she was about the bring down the hammer of justice of something.

"I knew it! The reason is…" She paused for effect as she eyed both people before finally saying, "This is a prank right!"

Tsukune's jaw dropped to the floor while Mizore stood as still as an ice sculpture. "What I've just seen, they're all set up by the Academy to scare people, right?"

Tsukune was utterly dumbfounded, even as he realized that she was just trying to reassure herself. There was a quiver of fear in her voice as she had said it, but even so… just how oblivious can you be?

Kyou nodded vigorously, approving of her assessment. "After I calmed down, I realized it was impossible for monsters to exist. Those were props!"

"I found it weird right from the start." She said as she took the enveloped from Tsukune. She looked at it, almost feeling like laughing at being pranked. "I couldn't find the location on a map and an unknown lady gave me this suspicious envelope."

"I even heard a strange voice coming out of the envelope—quickly escape, the guy is catching up—it said." But before she could take apart the prank that was this school, the earthquake from earlier came back and the ground shook once more.

"It's back." Mizore stated, this time getting into a battle stance if need be.

Kyou however, took the earthquake a lot differently. She took it with confidence. "Don't tell me it's that thing. That's enough Tsukki. You're asking for it if you continue with this prank. I won't be frightened now!"

Then, she saw that huge, webbed-foot come crushing down on the ground just a few feet in front of them. She nodded, took a deep breathe and…

"Kyaaa!" She screamed as she bolted, trying to get away as far from this overused prank. No, she wasn't scared, she just simply had it with all these weird pranks and all. Yea… that's it!

Meanwhile, Tsukune simply seatdropped as he thought, _'She's fleeing… Kyou-chan is fleeing with all her might…'_

Then a rumble brought him out of his thoughts as the monster reared its ugly head. Despite it being a frog, it did nothing to diminish the ferocity of the vicious-looking teeth. "Damn, why is it following us?" Tsukune wondered out loud as he prepared to go to his other form. He'd probably have to ask Mizore to move it someplace else.

"Hehehee, I've never said I wanted to assault you guys." Tsukune looked up as he knew that voice. It couldn't be… could it?

"Eh!" Tsukune couldn't believe it. The person riding the giant frog thing was none other than the bus driver!

The headmaster himself didn't concern himself with their surprise, instead asking, "Speaking of which, have you guys seen a strange talking mirror? I've been looking for that mirror, but don't seem to find it."

"What's the bus driver doing on top of a frog?" Mizore asked as said person took a whiff of his cigar.

"Sorry about scaring you younglings." The bus driver said with an eerie smile, per usual.

X

Meanwhile, Kyou was busy wiping away tears, not of fright, but of frustration. "To think I was so worried Tsukki and made a trip to this Academy…" She sniffed and wiped away some tears with the sleeve of her jacket, "How could he treat me like this? Tsukki is so horrible…"

Suddenly the package she had carried with her began vibrating. It took her by surprise before she hoisted it up and decided to open it, fed up with everything that was happening to her. "Irritating!" She muttered, "What is it now? There must be some trick inside this envelope…"

What she pulled out was not what she had expected. Instead of a trick, she pulled out a circular mirror which was pretty ornate. It had angelic wings spread upwards and outwards.

She blinked. "Mirror?" She stared at it for a bit before shaking it rather violently.

"That's weird," She said when nothing happened, "It doesn't look like a trick."

"Ya~stop shaking it!" At first Kyou thought she was hearing voices again when the mirror suddenly brightened. A light came out of it before it diminished enough so that she could see a strange being come out of it.

"It hurts." The being sighed. Kyou looked at it, and noticed it resembled a fairy from… fairy tales. It had four little dragonfly moved about every so often.

Then, the fairy turned to Kyou and smiled at her. "Nice to meet you. I'm an artifact spirit of the mirror, Ririsu."

Kyou gave it a flat look before tossing it aside, the fairy yelping in a process. She turned on stiff legs and began walking away. "As I thought… another trick…" She said with a monotone, almost as if her mind was broken.

"Ah! Wait up master!" The fairy said as it hoisted the mirror and followed Kyou.

X

After having walked a distance, Kyou had given up and let this strange… thing follow her. She still didn't believe it, but at least it wasn't as scary as the last prank.

"Thank you for just now." The fairy said with gratitude in its voice, "Thanks to you, I was able to escape pursuit. To show my gratitude, I am willing to grant you a wish. Just say whatever comes to your mind, master!"

However, Kyou would have none of it as she inspected the mirror. Sweat was now pouring down her forehead as she thought furiously how this could be a trick, especially if she didn't see any wires or mirrors… other than the one this 'artifact' was carrying. _'What is this? Maybe it's CG?'_ She wondered, feeling like her head was about to fry.

The fairy though took the intense look as praise. "Don't tell me the master thinks I'm a rare sight?" Then she said proudly, "That's for sure. Master is human and she rarely sees monsters."

"Monster?" She blinked before she laughed it off, "Don't be silly, how can there be monsters! Don't kid me, I'm not a child!" She waved off the fairy, who backed away lest she be hit by the waving hand.

"Eh?" The fairy was filled with disbelief at hearing those words, much like her master, "Aren't I in front of you, talking to you? Aren't you a little muddle-headed master?"

Then she shook her head as she took the mirror and headed over to a pair of people walking. "Guess it can't be helped. I'll search for other monsters for you to see."

"Hey you, over there, can you look in the mirror?" The two monsters that had been walking heard this and turned around to face said mirror. She shorter bald male stared into a mirror only to see his third eye exposed. He blinked before he touched his forehead to realize that his transformation had somehow been undone.

"Wha? Why was my disguise removed!" He yelled frantically as he tried to cover up his third eye.

The fairy ran away, happy that she had proved to existence of monsters to her master. "Did you see that? Although he looks like a human on the outside, he is really a monster. Ririsu's mirror has the ability to reveal the true nature of beings. When reflected, the monster's true nature will be revealed."

Kyou was in awe. "Amazing, amazing!"

"How is it?" The fairy said, feeling rather prideful at the moment, "Do you believe now?"

"It's a magic trick this time!" Kyou figured, only sending the poor fairy to the floor as she deflated. Then, she heard something which made her extremely happy… and devious.

"Okay then… if that's the case, tell me about the rest of the people." Kyou nodded. "Yes, show me the 'true nature' of this Academy. This place is where Tsukki attends, I must see it with my own eyes!"

The little fairy gave a wide smile as she hoisted the mirror up. "Ok!" She said cheerfully, "Is the master's wish? I'll make it come true immediately!"

X

The face of one Kyou was a mixed one, showing horror, surprise, and disbelief. One would generally have that face after having been licked by something that resembled a living umbrella. Hurriedly she wiped the drool of her face, still not believing what had just happened.

"St-Strange…" She muttered, "Why do those who have been reflected in the mirror change into an inhuman appearance?"

The little fairy, exasperated, explained once again, "Didn't I tell you that it's not a hoax? Why can't you just believe me?"

Kyou looked around then spotted a guy holding a camera, sweating quite profusely. "Then," She said as she held up the mirror to the boy, "How about this guy who seems quite disgusting?"

It was to her horror when the disgusting boy turned into an even more disgusting monstrosity. It was like a slug, slimy and still sweaty. Letting out a shriek, she quickly ran away. And so began her little adventure. After the initial monster, she went out to a beautiful looking lady who termed out to be some sort of mermaid… with really sharp teeth! Then when she reflected another person, he turned out to be some sort of Frankenstein thing! So on it went until she virtually saw everything, and even some things she couldn't even tell _what_ they were.

Of course… because she had ended up doing this it let to something even more horrific. "Kyaa!" She yelled as all the things that had transformed all chased her. She panted and ran as fast as her legs could carry her, but they were quickly catching up. Even as she was running for dear life, the little fairy next to her seemed to be laughing. Heck, she was practically _enjoying_ herself!

Suddenly she spotted a ground and ducked into them. The monsters all lost sight of her before turning to each other. Some bore fangs, others tentacles, and others yet claws and innumerable other appendages. Kyou saw that none of the other _human_ ones even gave it much thought. Some merely laughed as they saw the horde of fighting monsters, almost as if this kind of thing was common.

"Let's stop this…" Kyou told the little fairy as she panted, suddenly not feeling good. Either this school must have a large amount of funds… or…

"Eh? Why?" The little fair said, sounding disappointed.

"You had your fun. You should be satisfied." Kyou said, hoping she would stop. To her dismay and sudden fright, the little went off, happy as a whistle as she tried to get other people to transform.

"It's too late to regret it now!" Ririsu suddenly replied in a harsh tone, which made Kyou flinch.

"R-Ririsu?" She called out to the fairy, but she paid no heed as she went around with the mirror. Everyone in the ground began twisting, shaping, forming into new beings. Some struggled to maintain their appearance, but failed in the end.

Then, Ririsu gently floated down in front of Kyou, who was in shock and fear as she trembled. "What's wrong? Isn't this what the master wished for? Didn't you wish to see the true nature of this Academy?" She said almost tauntingly to the distraught girl.

Suddenly the fairy's gentle appearance turned into a monstrous one as she sported a vicious grin and malevolence in her eyes. "Just watch slowly… while you're still alive."

While the scared form of Kyou watched the spectacle, no one realized there was another person watching the same view, though from a different perspective. "Because of the potential danger, it had been sealed up for a long time. It was worth the effort for me to steal it." Ishigami stated with a dark grin as she saw the school descend into chaos, "Such a view… this is art!"

X

Finally, after seeing all she had seen… she began to realize the truth. She began to realize what exactly this place was. "Thi…This place…" She said with a quavering voice, "is a monster academy…"

"Ping pong! Seems like you finally understood." Kyou turned towards the fairy who continued speaking, "Then… I'll ask you a question: Why am I telling you the secret of this school?"

Suddenly a whiteboard magically appeared behind the fairy with three different answers. "Three choices: 1. Because I'm kind 2. No reason 3. To eat your soul for the price of fulfilling your wish?"

Kyou reached out for the buzzer and nervously answered, "Num…Number 1!"

But when the fairy simply licked her lips, Kyou knew the answer right away. "A terrified soul is most delectable."

"Itadakimasu!" The fairy held the mirror to Kyou and a blinding light surrounded her.

X

In the outskirts of school, a multitude of bats congregated, forming a miniature cyclone of the living creatures. Then, almost as suddenly as they appeared, they vanished and a man stood there, looking at the chaotic school from a distance.


	38. Revalation

**No, I will most likely **_**not**_** be using stuff from the manga. I already had a set plan, which I think is cooler anyways :O**

**Before you ask any questions about certain people not being affected by the mirror. It's because they already **_**are**_** showing their true hearts/intent/nature. Get it? Doesn't work if they're already doing it.**

**Also, I've gone a **_**slightly**_** different route as opposed to what most people think I would've written. Don't get mad, get glad! Also… due to not writing for a while, things might be a bit iffy. Just a heads up.**

**K, enjoy!**

**P.S. I recently found Rammstein. Their song, Reise Reise is so AWESOME!**

**P.S.S. I don't know how long I'll be out. I've finally found what I want to major in so I'm going to start giving it my all. Updates might come sporadically, but hopefully at least once a month. Sorry for this, but I WILL continue to write! This is not the end… for those who care to read my comments.**

**X X X X **

The light faded and Kyou blinked as her eyes adjusted. "E-Eh?" She was confused, wondering why was she alive. Wasn't she supposed to be eaten?

She looked up, having fallen onto the ground and all. There, standing like some sort of orange-haired savior was that Ichigo person from earlier. Only this time he seemed to have a sword strapped to his back and was wearing black Hakama pants with matching Kimono. He was holding the fairy, who was dangling her legs, unable to move since Ichigo had a hold of her wings. The little fairy grimaced as she twisted the mirror up to Ichigo, who looked at it with confusion.

Kyou braced herself for the inevitable transformation, but a few seconds passed and nothing happened.

"W-Why isn't this working?" Ririsu said as she continued to hold the mirror in front of her, and Ichigo getting tired of it, simply plucked it from her hands.

"You alright?" Ichigo asked as he turned to the girl. Kyou simply nodded… feeling strangely relieved that Ichigo had not transformed despite the sword on his back. All that went through her mind was, if the mirror didn't work, that Ichigo was not a monster.

Before she could realize what she was doing, she got up and flung herself into Ichigo's arms. The shocked boy could only stare with mouth agape, nearly dropping the mirror and letting go of the fairy in the process.

"Ichigo!" Said boy turned around to see a very unhappy Kurumu standing a bit behind, still in a maid outfit.

"It's not like I _wanted_ this to happen! She jumped me!" He reacted with an upset look, still unsure of what to do.

Realizing what she had just done, she pulled herself away from Ichigo and blushed. "S-Sorry… when I saw the mirror didn't affect you… I was just so happy since it had affected everyone else."

"What do you mean?" Kurumu asked when she pulled the mirror from Ichigo's hand. She looked at it and saw her reflection, only with wings, tail, and claws. Then she became aware that her disguise had somehow dissolved away and she really was in her original state.

"Ack!" Kyou hid fearfully behind Ichigo, who was utterly confused as to why Kurumu had transformed.

"Why did you change?" Ichigo asked, ignoring the girl shaking behind him.

"I-I didn't!" She said, waving the mirror in the process. "My disguise just let up by itself!"

"There you are Kyou-chan!" Ichigo and company turned to see Tsukune and Mizore running towards them.

"Tsukki!" Kyou yelled happily as she jumped from Ichigo into Tsukune's arms.

"Tsukune, what's happening?" Ichigo asked, really not liking the fact that he hadn't gotten any answers yet.

"Ah well, I think I can answer that." Tsukune said as he began explaining. "That mirror is called 'Ririsu's Mirror' and it has the ability to reveal the true nature of anything."

"T-Then… how come it didn't affect Ichigo?" Kyou asked timidly, knowing full well that Ichigo had to be some sort of monster. She thought this even _after_ she had hugged him and all.

Tsukune scratched his head. "Well, it doesn't work on humans." Then he realized what this meant. "Wait, you really _are_ human!"

Ichigo gave the flat look. "Haven't I said this before?"

Tsukune grinned sheepishly. "Well, yeah, but I mean it's kinda hard to believe it with all your power."

Suddenly there was a flash of light and the boys looked over to see what had happened. "Haha! Now you're in your released state too!" Kurumu said playfully as Mizore raised her arms, which were now sharp claws of ice.

Kurumur's laughter soon stopped as she was frozen in a block of ice. Tsukune and Ichigo merely sighed. Suddenly there were multiple roars and howls as the monsters surrounding them began to clash and fight against one another. They didn't even seem to be thinking, just simply attacking whatever was in front of them.

"What's going on? Why are they fighting?" Ichigo asked, really seeing no reason for them to fight even if they _were _transformed.

Suddenly, Tsukune remembered something else. "Ah, when I said the true nature of things, I also meant what's deep in their hearts like feelings."

Ichigo blinked, then got the idea. Monsters, in general, had their roots set in fighting. Logically, that's what would lie in their hearts, though, he did see a few here and there opt to escape, most likely survival was their only concern. He grimaced, he didn't like flaunting his power, but he would have to do it. He would have to call upon his reiatsu to weigh all of them, and from the looks of things, he might even need to go into Bankai. Just as he was about call upon his reiatsu, something interrupted him.

"W-Wahh?" Ichigo nearly fell over when he was glomped by a suddenly enthusiastic Kurumu.

"What are you doing?" He asked as she rubbed her body against his body, not having done so in what seemed like ages.

"Ichigo…" She cooed into his ear, which sent an unbelievably pleasurable tingle down his spine, "I need you. You are my Destined One." She slid a gentle hand over his chest, her voice soft and soothing as she said, "We've been through a lot, and that makes me want you all the more. You're so special to me, I don't think I could live without you Ichigo. I… know you're still a bit unsure of your feelings for me. But I want to tell you this Ichigo."

She looked up at him, violet eyes meeting brown, unsteady ones. She smiled serenely, her heart completely sure about what her lips were about to utter. "I love you Kurosaki Ichigo." She said tenderly as her hand made its way towards his own and laced her fingers between them. "Though I want to do some _things_ with you, I want _you_ more. You are the best thing that's happened in my life. I don't want to lose you." She tiptoed upwards and placed a chaste, gentle kiss on his lips.

Ichigo, for his part, had never ever felt his heart beat this fast, even when things got heavy between them. His mind was abuzz with a multitude of thoughts. She loved him? Maybe it was just the effects of the mirror… but the mirror revealed the _true_ nature of things, not fabricated them. Could this be… what Kurumu truly felt deep within her heart?

"I know you're thinking, but take your time." Kurumu told him as she snuggled into his chest, "I'll wait as long as it takes."

Right now… Kurumu looked so damn irresistible to Ichigo. Her true feelings, the kind and generous way she was acting, all of it seemed to strike a chord within him. She… to his sudden realization… actually loved him.

"Kurumu…" He said softly, causing her to look up. She hummed in response and he felt his arms steadily wrap around her. Her scent wavered into his nose and he felt his heart hammer madly against his chest. He had stayed up last night thinking, wondering what he was feeling. He had asked himself if he loved her, but from what he read, if he was already questioning himself, then it most likely meant he did. He felt his throat go dry, his voice suddenly eluding him as he tried to speak up. So wrapped up in his thoughts the he ignored the chaos around him and the fact that Kurumu was still wearing her maid outfit.

Meanwhile, both Mizore and Tsukune were secretly chanting to themselves. "Say it, say it, say it." They urged Ichigo silently. After a few seconds ticked by, they held their breathes when Ichigo pulled away slightly from the hug to look at Kurumu. Their eyes widened, Ichigo's lips opened, Kurumu smiled in ecstatic joy.

A terrible Youki descended around them.

Ichigo reflexively grabbed a hold of Kurumu in a tight embrace as he staved the energy with his own enormous reiatsu. It surrounded the group like a shield and helped them from falling to their knees. The monsters around them weren't so lucky. Others that could withstand it fled from the area while others that weren't so fortunate—or maybe actually fortunate—collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Those with enough power to hold it off, yet not enough to escape, suffered horrible fear that seemed to strike their very being.

Ichigo grimaced as he faced the direction the Youki was coming from. He placed himself protectively in front of Kurumu as his thoughts wandered. This truly had to be the strongest energy he had felt since getting here. Taking no chances, he felt himself slip into Bankai, knowing just how deadly underestimating an opponent was. He had defeated those immensely stronger than he through this tactic, and he was not about to be duped by it. The Youki didn't cease until the entity causing had arrived. His eyes widened.

"Moka?" Kurumu and the others voiced Ichigo's surprise. She was the one causing this? Then, something caught his eye from behind the released Moka. A taller, much more menacing man appeared behind her. It was strange because even though there had been light out, he almost seemed to melt out of the shadows even when there _were_ none. The man held himself like a high-class aristocrat, yet, his eyes seemed to burn with something. It was an intense pride, one that knew no bounds. There were no overt actions, but Ichigo could tell the man was already looking at them with contempt.

"Now Moka. Which one?" The tone told that it was more of a demand than a question, and Moka obediently listened. She immediately pointed towards Ichigo, whose eyes furrowed as confusion settled on his features. Something about this situation wasn't right.

"I see." His features marginally changed, a slight dip in the curve of his lips, "I see you failed to succeed in making him your mate."

Moka visible stiffened as she felt her father's glare even though he wasn't even looking at her. As a Vampire, fear was not known for the proud race. But even so, Moka felt… cautious… to say the least around her father.

"I apol—" She cut herself off, knowing the consequences of bowing her head. That would mean she threw away her pride as a Vampire… and that was not acceptable even if she _was_ facing an Elder that outmatched her power by hundreds of times.

The older Vampire's eyes flickered momentarily over her daughter, a silent warning. He let it slide for now. He had more pressing concerns. "You are Kurosaki Ichigo." He paused in thought before continuing, "I don't sense much power coming from you."

Ichigo shrugged, but this wasn't a relaxed motion. Suddenly, a voice from behind him interrupted the severity of the situation.

"Well that's because he's holding back! He'd probably wipe you all over the floor!" Ichigo turned around and gave a semi-incredulous stare to the bluenette behind him. She smiled, but then felt she had said a little too much when a fearful amount of Youki seemed directed toward her. Ichigo stepped in front of her once more and shielded her.

"Thanks Kurumu." He said over his shoulder, "But I'll handle it from here."

"Sorry…" She murmured apologetically. Ichigo smiled at her before he felt the Vampire grow serious.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. You will come with us and become Moka's mate." The Vampire's stoicism was replaced with a degree of severity that made Ichigo uneasy. He prepared to defend.

"And if I don't want to?" He asked, feeling himself grip Zangetsu tighter.

"That would not be a wise choice. While the Rosario has chosen you. _I_ am the one that gets the final say in this. A Vampire's authority is absolute." He said it in a way that almost made it seem like it was truth and that there was nothing wrong with those words. It bugged Ichigo.

"Sorry, but I still won't change my mind." He glared defiantly while Tsukune and Mizore nodded in the background.

"Then I will get rid of her." Ichigo's eyes hardened into the warrior he was. He did not blink and was able to grab the hand that had threatened to slip by him and hurt his girlfriend. Slitted irises momentarily met a steely gaze before the Elder was tossed back.

The Elder landed gracefully on his feet before replying, "I see. So this is your choice then." He unclipped the cape which fell silently like a hushed whisper, "So be it."

The ground shook as the Newspaper Club took a few seconds to realize that the two super beings were already in a fight. Not only that, but monsters that had been previously fighting had to surrender to the might and sheer display of power. Curiosity became their main instinct as they stared, or tried to when they realized the speed of the fight was more than their eyes could handle.

Ichigo however, was surprised. The man before him knew how to direct Youki into his body and counter his sword. It vaguely reminded him of how Grimmjow was able to do that when he was in his Resurrección; or even an Espada's Hierro. He ducked and swerved his body out of the way when a particularly powerful blow went right past him, carving up the land and throwing debris into the air, which made Ichigo realize the Vampire could also "throw" his Youki. He was given no respite as he ducked a blow to the face and he was pressed to counter. He diagonally slashed at the Vampire, who swiftly moved barely an inch past the tip of Ichigo's sword. This left Ichigo open to an attack, which the Elder took. Ichigo was knocked sideways by a powerful kick that nearly caused him to demolish a building behind him.

Ichigo felt another attack coming and instinctively blocked with his sword while planting himself into the dirt. Of course, this led to the building being destroyed anyways since the force went through him and demolished it. Ichigo felt really annoyed by that and felt he had to put an end to this. Calling upon a massive surge of reiatsu, he leapt towards the Vampire. Just a few feet away, Ichigo let out a Getsuga Tenshou that the Elder had not been expecting. He rose his arms to block it, but was swept away by the dark power.

Ichigo didn't feel he had won. Now he was reminded of how easily Ulquiorra had taken his Getsuga Tenshou when the Vampire simply rose from the pitch-black energy. And like Ulquiorra, only his clothes seemed to have taken any damage. Ichigo's eyes narrowed and upon closer inspection, noticed that he had actually taken _some_ damage. This would make sense why the Vampire was suddenly realeasing so much energy.

Ichigo smirked.

"You think this warrants a celebration?" The Elder's tone could've frozen over hell as a red fog descended around them. It wasn't Youki… but regardless it exhumed a power that wasn't really _felt_ but more _known_. Yet, Ichigo was tempted to nod his head, just to get a rise out of the Vampire. He didn't do it though and opted to observe what would happen.

"You will come with us." The Vampire Lord stated simply, his irises shining dangerously, "That is what I have dictated."

Ichigo remained silent, opting to let his stance do the talking. "You seem to have mistaken something. The Rosario only unlocks to those who have the_ potential_ to oppose me. You don't even have the skill to defeat a person like I, who has faced hundreds of battles." He said, not doubting that his words were true. By a mere glance he could tell Ichigo was unskilled. "Careful where you tread Kurosaki Ichigo, fighting a Vampire Lord is not a simple task."

"I'll take my chances." Ichigo said with confidence. His eyes stared unwavering into the calculating ones of the Vampire Lord.

"Then let it be known that I, Shuzzen Issa, showed you mercy and you rejected it so foolishly." Before Ichigo could come up with a retort, he was blown back by a force he could not see. He plowed through buildings, walls, and stands that had only been up just seconds ago and now reduced to splinters and rubble. He flipped himself up in an effort to avoid collision with the monsters that he had felt were fast approaching. He didn't want to turn them into pancakes after all. He leapt high into the air, somersaulting over the group of monsters, only to be greeted by raw force.

All humor left him when he was brought down by an incredible kick to his gut. The air in his lungs left him as he collided towards the earth. The main school building was nothing more once Ichigo collided into it, flattening it into a crater that was as wide as the once proud school and almost as deep. Ichigo grimaced, he hadn't expected such power, especially from someone who wasn't a Shinigami. He had made the fatal mistake of underestimating his opponent. Yet… he felt something surge within him. It was like being awakened to something he had once lost. He was actually feeling pain, he was actually feeling pressed to defend, he was actually _fighting_. As odd as it sounded, it was almost _comforting_ at being able to fight such an opponent.

Maybe he was turning into a cynic…

His thoughts were forced out of his head as he rolled sideways before bringing himself up and jumping away. He narrowly avoided a javelin thrust from the Vampire now known as Issa. Said Vampire brought out his hand, and if one had looked down the hole he had created, they would've noticed that it seemed to be nearly bottomless.

"Impressive." He said as he looked at Ichigo. "You have survived an attack that would've felled anyone else, even another Vampire."

"I'll take it as a compliment then." Ichigo smirked at the Vampire who frowned. A heartbeat passed and the two were once again on the offensive, trying to take down the other with all the force they could _currently_ muster.

X

"Are you serious?" Kurumu asked, disbelief etched into her face as she met Moka's own cold eyes.

"I failed to take Ichigo as my mate. So I must eliminate you if I am to achieve my goal." Moka was serious, and this bothered Kurumu very much.

"So you're going to kill me then?"

Moka considered this before replying thoughtfully, "If you are willing to surrender, then it will not need to end in that fashion."

"I'm not giving up Ichigo." Kurumu stated firmly. For a brief moment, Kurumu could've sworn Moka was hesitant before those daunting red irises came to bear on her once more.

"So be it." Moka released a tremendous amount of Youki as she said "Let it be known that I, Akashiya Moka, showed you mercy and you wasted it so foolishly."

Before long, both girls dove headlong into a fight where only one would come out as victor.

X

Issa moved with a speed Ichigo had yet to encounter in the monster world. Least to say, he was surprised when even in Bankai, the Vampire Lord had managed to invade his guard. Invade was not to say the attack was successful. Ichigo saw the low attack aimed at his ribs like a javelin and dodged to the right. The attack barely missed by inches. The Vampire dove beneath Ichigo's reflexive swing and proceeded to let Ichigo know his mistake as he aimed another javelin-like strike towards his heart.

He hit nothing but air.

Ichigo reappeared a few feet back, clutching his heart even as no wound presented itself. Issa could clearly see a form of shock and horror in Ichigo's eyes. Immediately the Vampire knew something about the boy's heart left him more alarmed other than the simple fact that he could die. He had to know what.

So again he attacked, but this time Ichigo seemed more prepared as he actually lunged towards him as well. Ichigo used his Hollow's favorite attack as he grabbed Issa by the face and in a tremendous burst of power, plowed him straight into the ground. A tremor shook the land, but Issa was not fazed. Almost as soon as his head had impacted, he had grabbed Ichigo's arm in an attempt to break the bones inside. Ichigo, feeling what was about to happen, pulled away at the last second and Shunpo'd a safe distance away. Issa stood up and dusted himself, feeling a bit of interest in this fight.

"Interesting." Issa spoke, "You are more skilled than I gave you credit for." Then he looked at the sword in Ichigo's hand and said, "Why do you not strike with that sword? Is it because you don't wish to kill me?"

Ichigo's silence gave him the answer. "Foolish. A simple sword cannot pierce my skin." He said condescendingly that suddenly made Ichigo remember Nnoitorra. This man seemed to be a combination of all the people he'd fought in Hueco Mundo.

Issa, however, was thinking along different lines. He would have to teach Ichigo the proper ways of combat. He entered the fight with a high kick, which Ichigo seemed to be familiar with as the Shinigami dodged, making it a bare miss as he counter-attacked with the blunt edge of his sword. It was blocked by the Vampire's forearm before the sword was pushed back. Issa moved forward for a grab, but once again was out of reach.

Had the Vampire overextended himself, he might've been grabbed as Ichigo reached out. He moved backwards, reassessing his opinion of the boy. Then he noticed a large pick up of energy as a dark mass surrounded Ichigo, swirling around his sword.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo yelled as he let the energy move outwards, forming into a crescent shape as dictated by its name.

Issa narrowed his eyes as he reached out with his hands and simply crushed the attack. He blinked when he felt the slightest twinge of something on his hand. He looked at it and noticed there was some type of burn mark on his palm. He had been damaged? He grimaced at that as he turned to face Ichigo, who was dutifully focused on the Vampire.

"What type of monster are you?" Cold, hostile eyes stared at Ichigo who decided to reply.

"Does it matter?"

The two held their intense gaze until Issa broke the silence. "No, I suppose not."

Ichigo staggered backwards at the ferocity of the attack. It was on a level even superior to Kenpachi's own insane attacks! He ducked and weaved as best he could, a few nicking him here and there. Then the kicks came. When he first fought Moka, he realized that her attacks were quite strong, but they were _nothing_ compared to the ones before him. Each kick created large craters and tore up the ground, spewing dirt and debris into the air. It came to Ichigo's sudden realization that this was the whole point. Honed instincts are what saved him from a particularly nasty blow that would've hit him in the back of the head.

"Tell me." Issa said, not letting up on his attacks while he spoke, "Why is it that you deny a Vampire? We are a superior race. Do you not understand that?"

"No, I don't." Ichigo said frankly as he Shunpo'd away. "I don't understand any of this superiority crap. I understand less why you would try to take advantage of your power." Then he pointed his sword at the Vampire when he was about to reply, "What's the point?"

"I don't understand the question." Issa replied, "We are superior because that's how we are. All lesser beings should know their place when in front of us."

"What if I were a superior being to you?" Ichigo retorted sharply, Issa narrowing his eyes dangerously at the blasphemy.

"Watch your tongue or I will tear it out." He nearly hissed.

"It's just a hypothetical question." Ichigo said with a slight smirk, finally uncovering what could unnerve this powerful being.

"Then I will teach you the answer." In a burst of speed that left Ichigo at a loss, Issa moved to the position in front of Ichigo and delivered a powerful axe kick to Ichigo's crude guard. Ichigo struggled from being plowed into the ground as his left arm tried desperately to hold off the attack. These Elder Vampires, Ichigo thought, were a lot stronger then he thought they would be. Not only was Issa not tiring out, but he seemed to be steadily getting _stronger_. It was even reaching up to the point where his Bankai was being nullified.

Ichigo was thrown back by a particularly strong kick, causing massive deforestation as he plowed into the forest. One thing he could be thankful for, despite the mess, was that he wasn't destroying anymore buildings _and_ he was away from everyone else. He smirked, he supposed that was actually _two_ things instead of one.

"I wouldn't be so excited if I were in your position." Ichigo knew the attack was coming, but decided to let it connect. He was stomped further into the ground, a large crater spider-webbing around the two fighters. Issa had expected Ichigo to at least begin to realize how vastly outclassed he was, but the boy merely grinned beneath his bangs leaving the Vampire even more upset than before.

"You're not me." Ichigo replied before he reached out with his hand. Only this time, it was covered in thick, black reiatsu that made Issa reflexively pull away. What perplexed the Vampire even more was the sudden pressure around him. Even through his Youki-enforced body, he could feel an ethereal energy trying to wrap around him Then, suddenly, the earth itself shook as multiple scars seemed to tear the earth around him. A new feeling welled up in the Vampire… something akin to excitement. It seemed this boy seemed to have some power after all.

"I'm going to end this right here, right _**now**_." Ichigo pulled his hand in a downward motion over his face, distorting his voice at the last syllable. The twisted sound almost made Issa flinch at how… _inhuman_ it sounded. He was broken from his thoughts as the pressure he was feeling earlier increased exponentially as all around them large clumps of earth seemed to hover in the air before crashing down again.

The smoke cleared and Issa saw the new Ichigo. A masked face greeted Issa along with indifferent, menacing yellow eyes the glowed dangerously behind the mask. The eyes… that was what got to Issa. Those eyes, though indifferent, were nothing but pure malevolence. Issa took a step back, unsure as to why he did so.

"**Scared?"** Ichigo's voice warped, a sound akin to two people trying to talk over the other.

"**You should be."** Issa's eyes widened as he turned around. Somehow, the boy had gotten behind him even though he had been staring at him the entire time. He was unprepared by the merciless attack that cut him diagonally, spewing his blood into the air. As he clutched the wound that ripped through his chest, he came to hear a rattle. The chain. It was the chain at the end of Ichigo's sword. It rattled, instilling him with a new sensation he hadn't felt in many centuries. It was fear. Whatever this boy was, it seemed he had been holding back.

The Vampire looked up, and noticed the boy raise up his sword, preparing to end the battle. The Elder chuckled; it seemed it was time for him to stop holding back as well.

X

Tsukune and Mizore stared, unsure of what to do. Both Kurumu and Moka were in a fierce battle right now. While they felt like helping Kurumu, they didn't want to hurt Moka either should everything get resolved. They weren't Ichigo, so it's not like they could step in and immediately stop this. They were both going for Ichigo, each in their own way. In the end, the couple opted to watch and only interfere should either of them step over the line.

Moka elegantly evaded from one of Kurumu's claws before having to jump backwards to avoid the other. While Kurumu wasn't as strong nor as fast as Moka, she could fly. "Coward." Moka spat as Kurumu took towards the air.

"All is fair in love and war." Kurumu replied with a smirk, earning a frown from the silver-haired Moka.

"We'll see about that." Moka kicked the ground at the right angle and a huge chunk of earth sprang from the ground. She spun and kicked the piece of earth towards Kurumu, who narrowly evaded the devious tactic. Now it was Moka who was left smirking while Kurumu frowned.

"Where'd all your talk go Succubus? Was it all for naught?" Moka taunted deliberately, trying to get a rise out of the girl. She was surprised to see the girl take a breath and forcefully make herself relax.

"I don't know what your problem is." Kurumu stated, "Ichigo is mine, and I don't know why you just can't accept it."

"I'm a Vampire." Moka replied swiftly, as if that explained everything.

"So what? Just because you're the elite, does that mean everything should land in front of you?"

"Not precisely." Moka countered as she smiled deviously, "But with respects to what you said, we do expect inferior beings such as yourself to know your place."

Kurumu was getting tired of Moka's haughtiness, but she wanted to at least try to win Moka back with logic. After all, she knew Ichigo wouldn't be very happy if she didn't at least _try_ to do something about it. She huffed, at odds with what to do. Honestly, she wanted to beat up _this_ Moka. The other Moka was at least tolerable and somewhat fun. She sighed, she hoped she wouldn't have to use her trump card, but it seemed it might end up that way.

"Are you just going to float there like a hapless idiot?" Kurumu felt herself get riled, even though she told herself she wouldn't. Well, it didn't matter now. She did try after all, and if Moka got her butt kicked, then so be it!

Kurumu rose high into the air, which aggravated the grounded Vampire. Soon she was so far up that Moka lost sight of her. She looked all around, but could spot no trace of the Succubus. Finally, only by pure luck she caught something out of the corner of her eye. It was heading towards her and it was heading _fast_. She jumped backwards to avoid it, but the wake of air knocked her backwards through a few trees as the land was carved up. At the end of the trail was Kurumu, who was panting at having done such a strenuous attack. It was meant to be direct hit, but somehow Moka had spotted her. Then again this attack was more chance than anything else. Had she not been spotted, the hit would've ended the battle, even for a strong Vampire like Moka.

As it was, Moka was back in the fray, even sooner than Kurumu had expected. However, she was pleased to see trail of blood dribbling down Moka's lip. The Vampire's voice stopped what little victory Kurumu had been celebrating in her head as the Vampire said, "You think this is a victory?"

Kurumu stared, not saying anything. "You are a fool." Moka finished before she darted in an incredible burst of speed, her foot plowing deep into the ground as she did so. Before Kurumu had time to react, she was impaled by Moka's hand that ripped through her body and out her back.

"Looks like I win." Moka said in a low tone, noticing the way the life in girl's eyes seemed to fade away. In truth, this victory was not as satisfying as she had hoped. Not only had she killed Ichigo's woman, but she felt Ichigo would now not even think about accepting her with what she did. She shut her eyes. The consequences were of no matter. Even if Ichigo was powerful, he would not win against her father and he would be forced to submit.

Reality, or in a way, _unreality_ shook her from her thoughts as Kurumu spoke up, despite being stabbed. "No…_I _win."

Before Moka's very eyes, Kurumu's visage seemed to melt before morphing into a tree. Moka struggled against the tree, but somehow it overpowered her and sent her to the ground. Branches rose from the earth and chained her to it. She struggled to break free before she felt something rather sharp surround her neck. It was a necklace of vines with sharp thorns… _very_ sharp thorns. She felt that if she moved even a millimeter, she would have more holes than she could count. It didn't help that there were so many either.

From her right she saw Kurumu walk up to her, looking completely exhausted. Moka sneered at the Succubus, but paused when the girl didn't seem to be gloating or anything. No, it was even worse, she was _pitying_ her. It disgusted Moka and stung her pride, making her want to break free even if it was dangerous to do so.

"Don't stare at me like that." Moka hissed and Kurumu shook her head. Kurumu waved her hand and the thorns disappeared, leaving only the vines in place. It finally registered to Moka that this had all been an illusion. Yet, despite knowing it was one, she still wasn't free from it.

"Would you want Ichigo to see you like this?" She asked and Moka grew quiet, surprised by the unexpected question. "Ichigo wouldn't want to see us fighting. He would want us to get along, even if we are rivals."

"What he wants and what I want are different things." Moka retorted.

"But you still want Ichigo right? You want him to see you in a positive light at least." Moka didn't bother with a reply, but she didn't really need to. She was about to open her mouth to say something, but she was beaten to the punch.

"I understand why you're so vicious all of a sudden even though we were starting to get along." This piqued Moka's curiosity as she turned towards the Succubus and eyed her carefully.

"Why then?" She asked while Kurumu simply smiled.

"It's because you love him." Kurumu nearly giggled at the wide-eyed look of Moka before she turned away. Now Kurumu was intrigued. Had that been a _blush_ she saw?

"I want him as my mate. He is strong and powerful. He is much needed for our dying race." Moka stated simply, not giving Kurumu the pleasure of being right. This effort was in vain, however.

"That's a lie. What you said is what your father told you to recite. You want Ichigo because somewhere inside that prideful heart of yours, you love him don't you?"

"Enough of this, let me go." Moka stated as she began struggling against the illusion by releasing her Youki. She was surprised when she sank deeper into the ground, and rather painfully at that as the vines choked her and cut off her air.

"Moka." Kurumu stared at the resistant Vampire, struggling to find the right words to say. She couldn't keep Moka tied forever. Though her illusions were stronger since she had been practicing, she had a limit, especially after that attack from earlier. It had really worn her out. The high speed she had undertaken severely strained her muscles.

"Come on Moka-san." Kurumu registered Tsukune's voice, who was heading towards them. Mizore towed along next to her boyfriend.

"What do you want?" Moka nearly spat. She was hating all of this. What were they trying to achieve? It's not like she was friends with any of them.

"I just want to help our friend." He smiled at her, and it made her blood simmer.

"We're not friends." She stated firmly.

"But you are." Mizore chimed in, sucking on her lollipop. "You've been with Ichigo longer than any of us. Are you really going to throw away you friendship with us even when it means so much to Ichigo?"

"Nicely said Mizore-chan!" Tsukune said to his girlfriend. Mizore nodded, proud at having said such eloquent words.

"Hm. Friends are not needed in this world, only power." Moka was obstinate, and nothing was going to change her mind.

"Do you want to know how Ichigo got so much power then?" Tsukune asked earning a hesitant, yet curious stare from Moka.

She took the bait. "How?" She asked.

Tsukune took on a thoughtful look as he recalled one of his sparring sessions with the orange-head."Well, simply put, his friends are what made him strong."

"I find that hard to believe." Moka stated, but Tsukune shook his head.

"It's true. You can ask him yourself." He paused for a moment, "That is, if you are willing to stop fighting?"

Now it was Moka who looked thoughtful. She had struggled so many times to find the answer to the question that was Ichigo. It never occurred to her to simply ask instead of trying to beat it out of him. Still, simply asking would lower her pride as a Vampire. To throw away her pride was basically saying she was no longer a Vampire.

"Who knows, you might win his affection." Tsukune and Mizore both turned to Kurumu with near flabbergasted looks on her face. _She_ was the one suggesting this even though they were rivals? This would mean some serious scribbling in their handy dandy notebook later on!

"You say this even though you've already won his heart?" Moka asked, ignoring the fact that she had sounded a bit hopeful, even if no one else had caught on.

"It's because we're rivals." She smiled before adding, "And because I think Ichigo was starved of _good _affection when he was younger."

Moka stared blankly. "It's a long story."

"…Why?"

"Why?" Kurumu touched her chin thoughtfully, "Well, I don't exactly like the idea of sharing, but if Ichigo ends up taking a liking to you, I won't complain. He's my Destined One and I'll do whatever it takes to make him happy."

"So, come on." Kurumu said as she dispelled her illusion, reaching out with her hand. "What do you say, no more fighting?"

Moka stared at the hand before her. She thought a moment about swatting it away, but then thought on what had just transpired. Her eyes shifted to each person there, and noticed nothing but smiles even though she had just tried to kill one of them. She closed her eyes and huffed. They were all a bunch of idiots. Sadly, they were Ichigo's idiots so she wouldn't dare harm them lest she ruin her chances of becoming Ichigo's mate. Yes, she made this decision _entirely_ on her own and not because she was convinced of anything.

"Fine." She said finally and was hoisted up by Kurumu. She patted the dust off her uniform before staring at the shorter girl. "But only for now."

Regardless of Moka's dismissive tone, everyone there was happy to have Moka as their friend once again. Suddenly Moka snapped her eyes towards the forest, picking up a familiar sensation as Kurumu picked up on Ichigo's sudden power surge.

Hurriedly, both ran off towards the forest followed by Mizore and Tsukune a moment later.

X

Ichigo had been taken by surprise at the power that suddenly flowed out of the Vampire. Ichigo had honestly not expected something in the living world to surpass his Bankai. Yet, this Vampire Elder had done so. The tall Elder stood at his full height. What made Ichigo's golden eyes widen almost imperceptibly was the transformation his opponent had gone. Though not entirely different, there were some changes. The red hair that topped the Vampire's head flowed out to shoulder length, giving him a regal appearance as well as sophisticated. His slitted irises seemed to be brimming with power as the mist formed around him. Then, something incredible. The mist _fused_ into his skin, slightly tinting it. It rippled out in a wave throughout his body as Ichigo detected and even greater power coming from him. He simply kept getting stronger and stronger.

Ichigo continued to watch, almost mesmerized by the slow transformation. Curiously, the mist suddenly seemed to escape from the tips of his fingers and formed against his palm into a length. Finally the mist dissipated to reveal a blood-red, double-edged sword. It was elegant as the hilt and the base were as black as his reiatsu. Ichigo got a funny feeling about it. It felt like something inside him was being pulled towards it. It felt like his insides wanted to escape, but he struggled to maintain focus.

"Do you know why we are called Elders?" Startled by the voice, Ichigo almost failed to respond.

"**No, why?"** The Elder gave a fanged grin, the first emotion other than the stoic appearance he held usually.

"Power." He explained, "Vampires do not get weaker with age. They get_ stronger_. I have been alive for two millennia."

"**You must've used a lot of beauty products to stay looking so young then."** Ichigo drawled sarcastically, causing the Elder to bristle with barely checked anger.

"Laugh while you can. I will show you your place soon enough."

"**We'll see about that."** Ichigo challenged the Vampire, lifting up his sword once more as he prepared for battle.

"Very well then. I have warned you." Not long after those words were said, steel clashed against steel, the familiar feeling of a swordfight sending adrenaline throughout Ichigo's body. _This_ was something he was familiar with.

Ichigo's eyes widened as he barely ducked beneath kick the belonged to the Elder. Not only had the Vampire's strength increased, but it so had his speed. But Ichigo did not hesitate. As soon as he regained his footing, he leapt forward with a jump before sending his sword crashing down. A shockwave rippled out, flattening the trees and cracking the ground. The Vampire coutner-attacked with a high kick that clipped Ichigo in the shoulder, sending him tumbling to the side. Of course, tumbling for two high-powered beings meant gouging up the earth. It was purely destructive. Quickly he regained his footing as the Vampire began an elegant attack filled with stabs, slashes and quick prods of his defense.

Ichigo grimaced behind his mask. He got that feeling again, like something was being pulled from his inside. It was hard to fight with this feeling as he had to adjust for the pull, which was almost like a magnet. He had to use more force than normal when jumping back. The Elder seemed to know the position Ichigo was in and didn't hesitate to use full advantage of whatever power it was he possessed. He pressed into the attack, each swing from both participants tearing up the ground and scathing the land as high winds swept across, threatening to uproot trees. It was a high-level fight.

Ichigo was the first to suffer a wound. It was only a nick, but it finally told him what that pull was. He had tried to block the sword with his hand in order to bring up his sword for a chance to attack. That had been his mistake as the Elder's sword cut into his hand. Ichigo felt a draining sensation and noticed that his was spewing out blood, forming a trail that led directly towards the Vampire. With a flare of reiatsu, Ichigo closed the wound and replenished the blood. But he saw the affects of his blood on his enemy's sword.

"You have a rich blood and vast power Kurosaki Ichigo." Issa commented as he somehow seemed to be enjoying the blood that absorbed into his sword. "I now know why the Rosario responded to you."

The Vampire raised his sword up, storing up energy and preparing to bring it down. Ichigo's eyes widened as he copied the same motion. The Vampire brought his arm down and released a red crescent of energy. It clashed into Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou, which tore up the land even more

"**Y-You copied me!"** Ichigo stunned voice held a menacing edge. The Vampire ignored this.

"No. You are now a part of me." Issa corrected, "Your blood now flows through me along with your power."

The Vampire's lips curled into a terrible grin that made Ichigo fearful. "…And your _feelings_."

Ichigo gasped when the Vampire disappeared. Not a quarter-second later and Ichigo was on his tail.

X

"We'll never make it through!" Mizore stated as she and Tsukune stood behind a sturdy tree. Even then, the force of the winds rushing out threatened to topple the tree and crush them.

Kurumu and Moka paid no heed to words nor nature as they struggled to push through. They nearly collapsed when the winds suddenly stopped, but they managed to catch themselves before doing so.

"D-Did somebody win?" Kurumu gulped, almost fearful of the answer. But then she picked up Ichigo's energy, which she suddenly realized she could do. Did Ichigo win?

"Not yet. I still sense my Father's power." Kurumu frowned. That answered _that_ question. Kurumu then noticed that Moka went rigged as she began to feel an oppressive force draw nearer to them.

"Father…" Moka whispered and Kurumu snapped her head forward. This was only a second before she found herself hoisted up by the neck, her lungs gasping for air as she struggled to breathe.

"**Let her go!" **Ichigo yelled as he emerged from nothing, his reiatsu flaring wildly as it ripped the ground apart in frightened anger.

"Submit." The Vampire replied. "Submit and join us. Leave this trash and join our powerful race Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo gripped his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. His muscles were tense and coiled, ready to leap in, but afraid of hurting Kurumu in the process. The sick yellow of his eyes glowed ominously as his mind raced for a solution. But the Vampire wasn't a patient being as he hoisted the Succubus into the air as she struggled against the vice-like grip of the Elder. Ichigo took a step forward, but one glare from his opponent stopped him in his tracks. One step further would cause the loss of someone he loved.

And it pained him that it was only now that he realized his true feelings for the girl in front of him. He couldn't do anything. His heart raced with desperation as a terrible fear gripped him. This fear was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It tore him and he couldn't do anything about it. It grasped him, clawing his insides like a mad beast. Even his Hollow, now turned monstrous began shrieking inside his mind, wanting to get out. It wanted to protect its Queen… and then it hit him.

"**If I kill myself, will you let her go?"** Ichigo's quiet tone was barely heard, but the Vampire picked up on it with a raised eyebrow.

"Kill yourself?" The Elder mused before he was kicked in the face by the incessant girl.

"N-No! Ichigo d-don't!" She wheezed before the grip around her neck tightened.

"Your proposal intrigues me Kurosaki Ichigo." He stared directly into the boy's eyes, detecting no hint of deception. It didn't matter if he did try to deceive because he had the boy's blood inside him. He would've known instantly.

"You are really willing to end your life for this lower being? All for the sake of…" He spat out the word like it was acid on his tongue, "love?"

Kurumu's eyes widened as tears began to form in her eyes. He…he loved her… and now he was about to give his life for her. She cried. She was about to lose her Destined One, and she couldn't do or say anything about it. She was barely conscious as it was, but hearing those words brought her back as her heart twisted with despair.

"**Yes."** Ichigo replied solemnly and without hesitance. **"I am willing, but only if you let her go."**

The Elder contemplated this. He was in no immediate danger. Even if he let Ichigo's woman loose, the boy would not reach him in time to protect her. One scratch from his sword would send all the blood rushing out of her and he knew Ichigo wasn't willing to risk that. He supposed that if he did not choose to submit, then it was only logical to face death. After all, who wouldn't submit to a Vampire?

"Very well." The Elder tossed Kurumu to the side, who hit the ground and began coughing as oxygen finally made its way to her starved lungs. "Death is the only alternative for you since you are not willing to join. I have honored my side, as dictated by my Vampire heritage. Now it's time for you to fulfill yours."

Ichigo closed his eyes, readying himself. He breathed, and felt pain in his heart when he heard Kurumu's panicked cries reach his ears. Even Tsukune and Mizore pitched in, which brought a tiny hint of a smile to his masked face. Ichigo breathed in once more as he reversed his sword's direction and plunged into his heart.

All save for the Elder were stunned by the action. Ichigo's mask slowly cracked as pieces slipped off and hit the ground. His expressionless face was revealed as all saw the light in his eyes flicker and die. The golden of his irises reverted to an empty brown gaze as the black of his sclera receded into nothingness. The body slumped to its knees, one last breath escaping before the body froze in position.

"It is time to go Moka." The Elder told his daughter. The business he had here was done and there was no point in staying. He walked away, knowing his daughter would soon follow. He momentarily took a look at the crying girl he had thrown. Tears flowed in streams down her face, her whole body shaking with sobs as despair clutched her in its arms. It disgusted him.

It wasn't until he heard a faint rustle that he slowed down. He heard movement behind him, then it stopped. He vaguely wondered if Moka had decided to stay back. The thought irked him, but he knew she would never disobey. Deciding to turn around, he was met with a being unlike any he had ever faced. He had to admit, this new appearance was terrorizing. Two long horns protruded from the skull-like mask, which didn't hold any eyes that could be seen. It was like staring into the abyss; dark, cold, and empty. Nothing could escape it. His eyes peered down, black lines forming across pale skin of similar color to the mask. They curved before converging towards the heart… where one should've been. Instead there was a hole, and it came as a revelation that Ichigo's sword was stuck there. It dangled precariously. A strange chill ran down his spine as he looked at the hole, the rattling chain ringing quietly in the background. He unconsciously moved his hand over his own chest, finding his heart steadily beating.

"I-Ichigo?" The Vampire Elder turned towards the Succubus, who had uttered the name. He looked back at the monstrosity and found it hard to believe that this was the Ichigo he had fought earlier. The looks on everyone else's faces, however, held the same look as the girl, so he couldn't really deny that possibility. He _had_ been looking away.

"So you wish to continue to fight then?" It irked him that he had somehow been deceived, but he didn't pay much attention to it. "You have gone back on your word, therefore which requires punishment."

His speed, unmatched by most monsters, brought him within striking distance of the boy's lover. However, the attack never made it. It took him a moment, but when the event finally registered in his mind, he howled with pain. Having never been wounded in a millennia, the unfamiliar feeling was as shock to his system as it tore through him like a raging current. His arm, gone, ripped from its socket was held in Ichigo's claw-like hands before being tossed carelessly to the side. The Elder didn't have time to scream again as he felt the air stretch and warp around him, constricting him, suffocating him, threatening to crush him. It was almost if this being's will was strong enough to simply erase him from existence.

His eyes widened as fear gripped him. A raw, visceral and horrendous roar tore through the air, making it too tremble with fear. The Elder's eyes, darting about, noticed that no one else seemed to have the same reaction. Another boy, with brown hair, was somehow shielding everyone underneath a strange power. This was a poor time to avert his eyes as he felt a burning sensation increase behind him. He turned his head; his maddened eyes registering the scene behind him unfold. In a last ditch effort to block the incoming attack, the mist inside him poured from his skin along with his remaining Youki to act as a shield.

It failed.

The attack connected and he was engulfed in a blistering red light. The attack continued on until it met with the school barrier. Winds screeched as a low static resounded once the winds died down. The shield seethed as a ripple stretched across it. At some points the barrier seemed to weaken before reinforced by energy from the school. Windows to the real world dotted the barrier before it stabilized. Even so, crackles of electricity could still be seen in the air where the barrier was

"F-Father." Moka's voice, once proud and strong, quivered. She breathed out, unbelieving that the most powerful being she knew had been wiped out, by a single attack no less. Raw, undeterred anger fueled her as she escaped from the cover of Tsukune's barrier. Said boy shouted out to her, but she paid no heed. It didn't matter if she was weak, she couldn't just let it end like this! She had to exact revenge, and she was going to do it one way or another! A fierce battle cry escaped her lips as she jumped high into the hair. Pouring as much Youki as she could into her kick, she slammed the heel of her foot on top of Ichigo's skull.

Nothing happened.

The adrenaline flowing through her caused her to see her mistake in a painfully slow manner. Through her fall, Ichigo had turned to her, his empty sockets striking a frightful chord within her. He reached out, his hand gripping her ankle painfully before she was yanked so hard that it almost felt as if her leg would be ripped from its socket. She hit dirt a few meters away before she ground and gouged up the earth, practically creating a cave with how deep she went. Every fiber of her being screamed with agony. Her bones ached, her nerves were shot, and her muscles were utterly useless. Her consciousness faded as she heard voices somewhere outside. She didn't have any strength to care who it belonged to as she gave into the peaceful darkness.

X

"Stop Ichigo!" Kurumu cried as she saw him charging up another one of those beams in the general direction of the Elder.

"I'll make him stop!" Tsukune yelled behind him, already on his way to intercept the attack.

"Don't do it Tsukune!" Mizore wavered, crushed by the decision to chase after him or believe in him. She chose the latter, though with heavy hesitance.

"I'll be fine!" Tsukune grinned, not really too sure himself. Finally he was in front, and he noticed this beam was particularly large, almost as large as Ichigo himself. He thrust out his dagger and prepared to block it.

What happened next was something he hadn't expected.

The energy warped and distorted as it wobbled over Ichigo's horns. The wielder of the powerful attack swung his head around wildly. One of Ichigo's hands clutched at the horns, intent on ripping it off. He howled, shrieked as he fought with himself. Both immense hatred and fear could be sensed by those close to him, especially Kurumu. Her eyes widened as she felt the struggle happening inside. Fear, hatred, revenge, anger, frustration, horror…love, caring, kindness; they all escaped from Ichigo. Both emotions conflicted, but her face paled when the darkness seemed to be growing stronger. It grew steadily, the beam held precariously between the horns as it sputtered. Once more Tsukune was next to her and Mizore, his shield up in hopes of deflecting any possible mishaps.

Then, Kurumu smiled as she felt an immense relief flood her. Almost in one fell swoop the darkness receded. She didn't understand it, but was glad for it as the beam diminished in both size and intensity before winking out of existence. Ichigo stood there, motionless. For a moment, nothing happened until the mask shattered. It didn't fall to the ground immediately, but formed into white wisps that fell down, slowly like a feather until they reached the area in front of the hole.

Kurumu blushed, and she felt bad about doing so in such a serious moment. She couldn't help it though. Seeing her Destined One with long hair, bare-chested, and looking sexy… it could do that to a woman. Ichigo's pale skin regained its color as his eyes blinked. He dropped to his knees, grasping his face with his left hand as he gripped tightly with the other on his sword. Kurumu rushed over.

"Are you alright Ichigo?" She immediately asked. Ichigo groaned in reply.

"I'll take that as a yes." She said as she helped him get up. Ichigo slowly rose before turning his head towards Kurumu.

"Hey…" His voice sounded weak and exhausted, but to Kurumu, it was the greatest thing she could hope to hear at the moment. After all, it wasn't every day that your boyfriend dies and then comes back to life, speaking of which, she wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that.

The conversation ended rather abruptly when Ichigo's eyes widened. Before she could ask, he had Shunpo'd away. Once she saw the direction she was going, she remembered what he had done. How stupid, she told herself. Here she was feeling all happy and whatnot when Ichigo could've possibly killed someone. Before long, she took to the sky, following Ichigo's energy signature. Moka and Tsukune themselves turned towards Moka's direction, hopefully finding some way to help her if she needed it.

X

Ichigo found what he was looking for. A smoldering crater filled with tiny shards of glass. He swallowed as he walked downwards. Somewhere deep inside, he hoped this wouldn't end the same way it did with Ulquiorra. He really regretted that, and sometimes thought about it when he was feeling moody or depressed. He searched the rather large crater, knowing for sure that the Vampire should've been down here… unless… he had completely vaporized him.

It was faint, but his ears caught it. The sound of breathing, he heard it, but couldn't be too hopeful. He followed it as best as he could until he came upon the body. He wasn't sure how to feel about this. The Elder was missing his arm, which was cauterized by his attack. However, multiple lacerations stretched across the body and he was pretty sure some of the Elder's bones were broken. What could he do about it?

An idea occurred to him, and he acted fast on it. He poured some of his lighter reiatsu into his left hand before taking Zangetsu and cutting his palm. He was careful not to overdo it, lest the Elder find energy to attack him again. He sent a small stream of the life liquid into the Vamire, who choked on it briefly before swallowing. After a few seconds passed, a faint sizzling noise was heard and the superficial wounds were healing. Ichigo could also hear the bones beneath mending as they grinded against each other. The only thing it didn't heal was the arm, the wound now covered by a large scar and partially by skin.

Ichigo saw eyes flicker beneath the eyelids of the Vampire and waited. When he came to, Ichigo spoke up, "You awake?"

The Elder, noticing his position, struggled to get up. However he was not strong enough to do and managed to fall backwards. "What do you want?" He hissed.

"I want you to leave and never come back." Ichigo stated in a dead serious tone.

"Why should I listen to you?" The Elder spat back, feeling his pride hurt more than anything at the moment.

"Because I have won. Your race seems to think that the winners make the rules. I am the winner, so I am making the rules." Ichigo's eyes hardened as the Vampire's steely gaze met his.

Begrudgingly, he accepted. "It would be against my pride to act so foolish. I will accept your demands."

Ichigo was tempted to tell him that he had been acting foolishly this entire time, but decided not to do so. Issa's next words caught him off guard, "What about Moka?"

"That is up to her." Ichigo replied as he thought. So this man was a father, even though he acted all haughty. Like father, like daughter he supposed.

"Is everything alright?" Ichigo turned around and saw his girlfriend land next to him, her dress briefly lifting and giving him a view of what was underneath. He looked away.

"Yea, everything's alright." He saw a worried look on Kurumu's face and asked what was wrong.

"I hope Moka's alright… you kind of hurt her." She said, feeling guilty for some reason about bringing it up.

Ichigo closed his eyes briefly before he replied reassuringly, "She'll be alright."

She looked at him and gave a small smile. "Yea, I suppose you're right."

X

Ririsu tried to run away as best she could. All this strange new power flowing through the area just a minute ago had been too much for her poor wings. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to land, but was afraid that if she did, she might be squished by some of the more rampant monsters. However, in a minute, she wouldn't need to worry anymore.

"Kyaah!" She yelled as she was grasped by a hand the appeared from behind a rubble of debris. She struggled before her eyes staggered upwards into the glowing eyes of the headmaster.

He grinned.

"Found you." He said as he sensed a presence behind him. He knew very well who it was, there was no way he could've missed the boiling anger within. He let the her fade away, to retreat into the whole she had come from. There would be another time, and she would be taken care of then. For the meantime…

The smile on his face did not depart, even as he surveyed the destruction. Honestly, he was quite happy with the situation. It could've been a lot worse. When he had founded this Academy, he had expected this kind of fighting every day. Surprisingly, the Academy ended up being surprisingly peaceful up until this point. He grinned once more; second time's a charm… or was that the third? Oh well.

X

_October 31_

Ichigo looked at the sign, then at the dorms, then at the sign, then at the dorms. His eye twitched.

"Due to the thorough destruction of the Academy, it will be closed until proper repairs can be made. Everyone is to return home immediately. You are not allowed to run riot…again." Kurumu read for Ichigo, who was already annoyed by the sign and didn't need it shoved into his face.

"What's the matter?" Kurumu asked as she peeked at Ichigo's face.

"For one." Ichigo stated semi-seriously, "I'm pretty sure I destroyed the dorms. There's no way it should be standing. Second: If they could repair the dorms this quickly…" He took a breath, but it didn't help, "Then why the HELL can't they repair the REST of the buildings this quickly!"

Kurumu patted Ichigo's arm. "I know. The headmaster is weird like that."

Ichigo sighed, there was no refuting that. He supposed though that this was part of some master plan. Then again… he _was_ going home. He supposed that wasn't so bad, except for the fact that goat-chin would be there. Almost perfect…

The rest of the group came up from behind and they also read the message. "What!" Moka, wide-eyed, searched the sign before turning towards Ichigo. "Does this mean I won't be able to see you anymore?"

"No wai! I won't be able to have a threesome then?" Yukari quipped up and everyone sweat-dropped.

'_You weren't going to get one anyways.'_ Everyone thought the same thing.

Ichigo ignored the outburst as he looked at Tsukune. "Hey, can I borrow some paper?"

Getting the idea, Tsukune replied. Ichigo then wrote down his contact info to everyone. When he handed the slip of paper to Kurumu, he felt sad that he would be leaving her since there was no way she would be able to go to the human world. Her eyes looked sad as well, but they weren't as bad as he thought they would be. He got a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Something was warning him… but about what, he wondered.

"You guys better hurry up, or you'll be left behind." Everyone turned to see the bus driver walk up with Kyou next to him.

"Kyou-chan!" He said as he walked up to her. Before she could reply, he bowed, surprising her.

"I'm sorry for giving you bad memories!" He apologized. Kyou was glad for the apology, but realized she was to blame as well. She tapped his head, indicating for him to raise head.

"It's alright." She replied in a soft tone, "You're in good hands, I know."

She turned to Ichigo and smiled at him. "Thank you for protecting my cousin!"

Ichigo rubbed his neck when he saw Kurumu glaring at the girl. "Sure, no problem."

"Buses just arrived." The driver interrupted the silent contest. "This is to the human world, you better get on."

With that said, Tsukune, Kyou, and Ichigo got on it. But before Ichigo could step onto the bus, he was literally yanked from the little staircase before his lips were captured passionately by Kurumu's own. He turned red when he heard the sounds of surprise and random hooting coming from the crowd…but then something interesting happened.

'_Screw it.'_ He thought before he tugged Kurumu and dipped her backwards, making her taste some of her own medicine. In that moment, Ichigo had overcome his weakness of public affection. As he pulled away, he could see her grinning goofily at him.

"I love you Ichigo." She whispered to him.

He smiled, melting her heart. "I love you too." He whispered back.

She dragged a finger down his chest in a caressing manner. "I'll see you soon alright."

Again, Ichigo got that weird feeling, but brushed it off. "I'll see you soon too."

They departed with one last kiss and before long; the bus was out of sight. As the bus disappeared from sight, Mizore stepped next to the Succubus.

"You're planning on visiting his house aren't you?" Mizore asked, not turning to look at Kurumu.

"Yep." Kurumu said, a smile in her eyes.

Mizore smiled as well. "Then maybe we can help each other."

With a handshake, the partners joined forces to go and claim their respective men. After all, love was a battlefield and if they were going to survive it, they would have to go all the way, pulling out all the stops and overcoming all obstacles. This… was one of them.

Then a thought occurred to Kurumu. _'Wait a minute… where did Moka go?'_


	39. Karakura Adventures

**Alright people! I just realized that I forgot to say that I started a new story, which is the continuation of this series.**

**I just felt like making it under another title because I thought it'd be easier to keep track.**

**"Karakura Adventures" is what it's called. Look it up in case you don't usually check my profile page.  
**


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